Common Minke Whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Also known as: Minke Whale, Northern Minke Whale, Lesser Rorqual, Little Piked Whale, Sharp-Headed Finner Whale
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
10000.0 kg
About This Species
The smallest of the baleen whales, this species is found in oceans worldwide, typically alone or in small, loosely associated groups rather than large pods, and is often seen surfacing briefly with a low, inconspicuous blow before diving again. It feeds on small fish and krill, sometimes lunging near the surface when prey is concentrated, and coastal sightings are most frequent during seasonal migrations to feeding grounds in cooler, productive waters. Calm sea conditions and a slow-moving boat or headland vantage point give the best chance of a sighting.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Keep well back, generally at least 100 metres, and let the whale set the pace rather than motoring toward it or cutting across its path, since sudden boat movements can cause stress or injury.
- Many countries regulate vessel distances and behaviour around whales under national marine mammal protection laws, and the specific limits vary by jurisdiction, so cautious, general good practice matters more than any one rule.
- Cutting engines and drifting rather than following a surfaced animal, and never attempting to swim with or touch it, gives the whale room to continue feeding or travelling undisturbed.
Seasonal Activity
246,114 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Cetacea
- Family
- Balaenopteridae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 10000.0 kg
Photo
(c) Wayne and Pam Osborn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Wayne and Pam Osborn
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.