Head to head
Pygmy Right Whale vs Southern Right Whale
Pygmy Right Whale
VS Southern Right Whale
Both whales are filter feeders of the Southern Hemisphere, but one is barely ever seen while the other is a whale-watching favourite.
| Pygmy Right Whale | Southern Right Whale | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Caperea marginata | Eubalaena australis |
| Size | The smallest baleen whale species | Much larger |
| Family | The sole member of its own family | Part of the wider right whale family |
| Visibility | Rarely observed alive | Frequently observed, popular for whale watching |
| Skin feature | Not documented as having callosities | Distinctive callosities unique to each individual |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Unknown | Increasing |
| Habitat | Ocean | Ocean, coastal |
Pygmy Right Whale vs Southern Right Whale: common questions
Which one is rarely seen alive?
The pygmy right whale is rarely seen alive, one of the least understood whale species in the world, unlike the southern right whale, which is a popular and predictable sight for whale watchers.
Which one is the smallest baleen whale?
The pygmy right whale holds this record, the smallest of all baleen whale species, far smaller than the much larger southern right whale.
Which one has recovered strongly from historical whaling?
The southern right whale has recovered strongly, now numbering in the tens of thousands, a conservation outcome not directly documented in the same way for the more obscure pygmy right whale.