gray whale; grey whale
Refers to the species Eschrichtius robustus. The katakana spelling コククジラ is standard in biological contexts.
Gray whales inhabit the North Pacific.
The migration route of gray whales is known for its long distance.
Katakana spelling is standard for this animal name; usually written in kana.
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
The Japanese name コククジラ is composed of コク (possibly from an old reading or a transliteration) and クジラ (whale). The exact origin of the コク element is uncertain.