---
title: "Southern Right Whale"
description: "Eubalaena australis — Mammals. The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a large baleen whale and one of three species of right whale belonging to the genus Eubalaena."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/southern-right-whale
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Southern Right Whale

> Eubalaena australis — Mammals. The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a large baleen whale and one of three species of right whale belonging to the genus Eubalaena.

- Scientific name: *Eubalaena australis*
- Category: `mammals` (Mammals)
- Habitats: `sea` (Sea & coast)
- iNaturalist observations: 2555
- Wikidata: [Q244410](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q244410)
- iNaturalist taxon: [41571](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41571)

## Names

- en: Southern Right Whale
- de: Südkaper
- es: Ballena Franca Austral
- fr: Baleine franche australe
- nl: Zuidkaper
- pt: Baleia-franca-austral
- pl: Waleń południowy

## Countries with the most observations

ZA (791), AR (629), AU (457), BR (115), NZ (69), UY (45), CL (40), GS (11), FK (8), NA (5), TF (3)

## Summary

The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a large baleen whale and one of three species of right whale belonging to the genus Eubalaena. Found throughout the Southern Hemisphere, it inhabits oceans between the latitudes of 20° and 60° south. Like its northern relatives, the southern right whale is noted by its broad back without a dorsal fin, a long, arching mouth, and white growths on its head known as callosities. Previously hunted for hundreds of years, almost to extinction, the species is now protected and its global population was estimated to be around 13,600 (2009).
Each year, the southern right whale…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_right_whale

## Photo

![Southern Right Whale](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/southern-right-whale/medium.jpg)

Photo: steve b · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150849220

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/southern-right-whale?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).