Species - Minke Whale
The Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata] is one of the ten species
of baleen whales. Also known as the Piked Whale, the Minke, is a relatively
common species.
With a range spanning most oceans, the Minke, like the Humpback, is a member of the rorqual family. Grooves run from the tip of its lower jaw to near its navel--almost half its total body length. The Minke is also the smallest of the rorqual whale family, with males averaging 26 ft. and females a foot longer. Body weight averages 6 to 8 tons for both sexes. Calves enter the world at about 10 ft., weighing approximately 1,000 lbs.
Minke Whale coloration is a bluish dark gray above and lighter on the
underside, with its flippers usually displaying large white patches.
Currently, Minke population is estimated to be approximately 900,000.
Copyright Whales, LLC 1996.