The Balaenopteridae contains two genera (Balaenoptera and Megaptera) and 6-9 extant species. The family occurs in all oceans. Most rorquals breed in tropical waters during the winter, and migrate to the polar feeding grounds in the Arctic and Antarctic in the summer. They are streamlined, with deep longitudinal skin grooves over the entire throat and chest, narrow and elongated flippers, and a dorsal fin, situated behind the midpoint of the back. The baleen plates are short and broad. Rorquals range in size from 8-10 m in length and 3,000 kg in weight (the Minke Whale, B. acutorostrata) to 30-34 m and 170,000 kg (the Blue Whale, B. musculus, the largest known animal that has ever lived). These whales feed on schooling fish and krill. Although some species have shown signs of recovery, others are still endangered.

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