British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Marine Species Glossary - North Atlantic Fin Whale - definition

Translation:

The Fin Whale is recognisable by its smooth, slender body and distinctive V shaped head, Fin Whales have two blow holes on top of a relatively flat head. Their lower, right jaw is white and the left is darker, their bodies are brown/grey on the back and lighter on the underside. This body colouration helps with disguise; from above the darker colour blends in with surrounding water; from underneath the light colour matches the light coming from the surface. Fin whales are fast swimmers and can reach speeds of up to 37 kph using their powerful tail to dive quickly and deep into the ocean.

They eat Plankton, Krill and small fish by trapping them in their teeth. Scooping up food using their mouth like a bowl, they sift the water through teeth that are like those in a comb. Fin whales live in pods which may contain just a few, or between 10 and 20 members. These pods are made up mostly of females caring for their young, but may also contain other related, or unrelated members. Fin Whales migrate in these smaller groups, but when they reach their feeding grounds they congregate in larger numbers, feeding with other whales and dolphins.

In the winter they migrate to polar/subpolar regions and give birth to their young. Females mate from age 6 to 12; the males 7 to 12. During the mating season males compete with one another for the females, showing off their prowess and desirability by jumping out of the water, tail slapping and vocalising. Once in a couple they dive into deep water to mate. The females carry their babies for 11 to 12 months. Once born, the calves remain close to their mothers and suckle for 6 to 7 months (a relatively short period), during which time the mother teaches the calf how to hunt and social skills. The whole pod takes on responsibility for protecting the young.

Fin Whales can live up to 80 years of age. Sadly the population of Fin Whales are in decline due to human activity and pollution and so care must be taken if we are to preserve their numbers.

North Atlantic Fin Whale - definition in International Sign Language