From Fin Whales to Blue Whales: The Whale Species Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
2 min
From Fin Whales to Blue Whales: The Whale Species Quiz
Image: refer to hsw

About This Quiz

There's a lot to ooh and ahh over in the vast oceans and seas of the world, but possibly the most majestic of all animals is the whale. Whales belong to the order "Cetacea,” and along with other members of this group like dolphins and porpoises, they are mammals who are totally accustomed to aquatic environments. Unlike many other sea creatures, however, whales need air to survive and have to surface regularly, which is why they don't sleep for very long.

Unfortunately, not everyone has historically respected the critical part that whales play in the ecosystem, so they've been hunted and otherwise affected to near extinction. They're currently listed as endangered, with some species completely wiped out already. In fact, one of the most threatened right now is the North American right whale, of which there are only about 300 left in the world. Aside from the fact that the world would be a less incredible place without whales, their status at the top of the food chain means that there are very real dangers to the rest of the marine environment, should they be totally eradicated. Even though protective measures have been taken for decades now in an effort to reverse the effects of whaling, six of the 13 "great” whale species are listed as endangered.

Although there are plenty of differences between the various species of whale, each one is impressive in its own right. Can you tell one type of whale from another? Take our quiz to see how much you know about whale species and how these creatures differ.

How many different whale species are out there?
13
70
170
True or false: All whale species are endangered.
true
false
What are the two main types of whales?
toothed and nontoothed
finned and nonfinned
killer and nonkiller

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What is the largest of the toothed whales?
killer
blue
sperm
What part of the sperm whale is unusually large?
head
tongue
tail
True or false: Sperm whales have the largest brain of any animal.
true
false

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Which whales are called the canaries of the sea?
sperm
beluga
blue
Where does the gray whale prefer to dine?
on the beach
at the surface
at the bottom of the sea
Which of these body parts is unique to the beluga whale?
massive thick skull
heavy layer of blubber
nonfused neck

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What color are beluga whales?
white
blue
black
True or false: The blue whale is the largest animal to ever live.
true
false
What do blue whales prefer to eat?
humans
squid
krill

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Roughly how many blue whales are alive today?
500
5,000
5 million
What feature is the humpback whale known for?
tail fin
pectoral fin
large head
Is the humpback whale a baleen or odontocetes?
It depends.
odontocetes
baleen

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True or false: Killer whales migrate farther on average than any other mammal.
true
false
Which of these is the largest member of the dolphin family?
killer whale
gray whale
humpback whale
What color is the killer whale?
gray
blue
black and white

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What type of whale is known for its white chin?
bowhead
sperm
blue
Where do bowhead whales prefer to live?
tropical climates
moderate climates
icy climates
What percentage of the length of the bowhead whale is made up of its skull?
20-30 percent
30-40 percent
40-50 percent

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What is the second largest whale species?
fin whale
gray whale
beaked whale
How long can the fin whale get?
55 feet (17 meters)
85 feet
125 feet
How many different species of baleen whale are there?
three
seven
13

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How many species of toothed whales are known to exist?
30
70
90
How many species of beaked whales can be found?
12
22
34
What is the smallest species of baleen whale?
orca
minke
vaquita

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True or false: A narwhal is a type of whale.
true
false
Where do narwhals typically live?
tropical waters
arctic waters
on the Australian coast
True or false: The narwhal actually has feeling in its tusk.
true
false

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