Minke Whale

ID points

• A striking white band across the middle of the pectoral fin
• Narrow pointed triangular snout with a single central ridge
• Sickle-shaped dorsal fin set clearly far back on the body

Basics

Family

Balaenopteridae

Length

7.0–10.0 m

Depth

0-200 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic · Open ocean

Distribution

All major oceans worldwide

Habitat

Open ocean and coastal waters

Diet

Krill and small fish

Easily confused with

Fin WhaleLower jaw white on the right side and dark grey on the left, asymmetricHumpback WhaleExtremely long pectoral fins, close to a third of the body lengthBasking SharkThe open mouth is almost as wide as the body

Fun fact

One of the smaller baleen whales, it can swim at up to 38 kilometres an hour, which makes it the sprint champion among the baleen whales.