Minke Whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Cetartiodactyla |
| Suborder | Mysticeti |
| Family | Balaenopteridae |
| Genus | Balaenoptera |
| Species | acutorostrata |
Minke whales are about 35 ft long (10.6 m) and can weigh up to 10 tons (9,100 kg).
They can live up to 50 years.
Minke whales feed by side-lunging into schools of prey (small schooling fish) and plankton.
They are widely distributed through most tropical, temperate and polar regions.
Threats to Minke Whales
Whaling, habitat degradation, overfishing, entanglement, human disturbance (harassment, noise, vessel collisions, etc)
Current Population Trend Unknown
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Conservation Status The IUCN Red List tracks the conservation status of organisms around the world. Visit the Red List to learn more about the conservation status of Minke whales. |
OCS Research Insights
Minkes are one of the whale species we record most often in the Santa Monica Bay, California, sometimes close to the shipping lane.
We’ve recorded them feeding close to the Los Angeles shoreline, alone or in small groups of 2-3 individuals. Unfortunately, we’ve also observed Minke whales being harassed by boats.
Report whale or dolphin harassment
Learn more about OCS research
Read the scientific paper
Minke Whale Facts
• Minke whales are the smallest baleen (filter-feeding) whales in North American waters.
• They’re named after a Norwegian whaling spotter named Meincke, who allegedly mistook a Minke for a blue whale.
• Minke whales make sounds that include clicks, grunts, pulse trains, ratchets, thumps – and even “boings”!
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whale and dolphin species drawings © Massimo Demma / ICRAM / Muzzio