News Animals Even deep down, the right whales don’t sink By Susan Milius September 5, 2001 at 2:54 pm - More than 2 years ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share on X (Opens in new window) X Print (Opens in new window) Print A right whale may weigh some 70 tons, but unlike other marine mammals studied so far, it tends to float rather than sink at great depths. With suction cups, an electronic tag (arrow) clings to the back of a North Atlantic right whale and stores details of underwater life. Nowacek Electronic monitoring of 95 right whale dives shows that the animals swim the whole downward leg of 70-meters plus plunges, says Douglas P.