Species: Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Common Minke Whale
Species

    Articles:

    Minke whales in the Salish Sea

    Minke whales are the most abundant baleen whale species worldwide. In the waters of the west coast of North America, their populations have remained small, but stable over time. They are hunted by transient killer whales due to their relatively small size compared with other baleen whales. Sighting rates for minke whales in the Salish Sea are highest during the summer, however, little is known about where minke whales spend the winter months.

    A minke whale with its mouth open as it surfaces.
    Solitary minke whales lurk in the waters of Puget Sound

    A resident population of minke whales is catching the attention of scientists who want to learn if the elusive mammals are found here year-round. While small compared to their cousins the blue whales, minkes are still among the largest creatures in the Salish Sea.

    Minke whale ahead of a kayaker
    Kingdom
    Animalia
    Phylum
    Craniata
    Class

    Mammalia

    Order

    Cetacea

    Family

    Balaenopteridae

    Genus

    Balaenoptera

    Classification
    Informal Taxonomy
    Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Whales and Dolphins
    Formal Taxonomy
    Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Cetacea - Balaenopteridae - Balaenoptera - includes the unnamed dwarf minke whale of the Southern Hemisphere.
    Habitat Type Description
    Marine
    Migration
    true - true - true - Many populations migrate to high latitude waters for summer, to low latitude waters for winter.
    Non-migrant
    true
    Locally Migrant
    true
    Food Comments
    Diet mostly fishes in North Pacific, krill in southern ocean, fishes (mainly) and krill in North Atlantic (IUCN 1991); fishes eaten are small, schooling species.
    Reproduction Comments
    Gestation lasts 10-11 months. Single calf is born November-March in North Atlantic, mainly late May and early June in Southern Hemisphere. Young are weaned in 6 months or less. Adult females produce one calf every 1-2 years. Most sources give the age of sexual maturity as 6-7 years or 7-8 years, but 2 years or mean of 6-15 years also has been reported; age of maturity apparently decreases when populations are significantly reduced. Maximum age is about 30-40 years in the North Atlantic, something less than 50 years in the Southern Hemisphere.
    Ecology Comments
    Usually solitary, sometimes found in groups of 2-3. Annual survival rate in Antarctic exceeds 90% (IUCN 1991). Common prey for orca (killer whale).
    Length
    9100
    NatureServe Global Status Rank
    G5
    Global Status Last Reviewed
    2006-03-28
    Global Status Last Changed
    1996-11-15
    Conservation Status Map
    <img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.BC=__&CA.LB=SNR&CA.MB=__&CA.NB=S4&CA.NF=SNR&CA.NS=S4&CA.NU=SNR&CA.PE=SNR&CA.QC=S4&US.AK=S4&US.CA=SNR&US.FL=SNR&US.ME=SNR&US.MD=__&US.MA=S3&US.NY=__&US.NC=__&US.OR=__&US.RI=SNR&US.SC=SNR&US.TX=S1&US.WA=__" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
    Global Range
    Throughout the world's oceans in tropical, temperate, and polar waters, including Hudson Bay (Can. Field-Nat. 106:266-267). See IUCN (1991) for further details. IWC stock management units have little or no biological significance (IUCN 1991).
    ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.792167