Named after their unique, triangular skulls, bowhead whales are capable of using their heads to break through Arctic ice.
Measuring the length of a cricket pitch and living up to 200 years, the Bowhead Whale is, quite literally, a big old beast. Named after their unique, triangular skulls, bowhead whales are capable of using their heads to break through Arctic ice.
Not only that, but they have the largest mouth of any animal. Inside their mouths, rows of vertical comb-like teeth help the bowhead strain huge volumes of water to capture food. Every year, a single bowhead whale may eat over 100 metric tons of crustaceans per year!
They also have impressive hearing – their ears are adapted to pick up on low-frequency sound, which is essential in their underwater habitat that can often be difficult to see in.