Rice's whale is a baleen whale that lives year-round in the Gulf of America. It is dark gray above and pale below; it is thought to dive deep by day to feed on fish.
Its back is dark gray and its belly is pale to pinkish. Three ridges lie in front of the blowhole, and the dorsal fin is set far back.
Rice’s Whales live year-round in the Gulf of Mexico. Genetic and morphological evidence distinguished them from Bryde’s whales as a species in 2021.
In 2015–2019 surveys, scientists localized underwater calls and visually confirmed their source. Recognising the calls enables autonomous recorders to detect occurrence.
Limited tag records indicate deep daytime foraging and time near the surface at night. This behaviour informs concerns about ship strikes, alongside noise and oil-spill risks.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Ship strikes, pollution, underwater noise and fishing-gear entanglement are threats. Visual, acoustic and dive studies inform efforts to reduce impacts.