Minke Whale

In addition to the significantly smaller size, the common minke whale features a distinct white band on each flipper, which contrasts with their deep grey dorsal color. They possess a uniquely triangular, narrow, and pointed snout, earning them the nicknames “sharp-headed finner” and “little piked whale”. However, the Antarctic Minke does not have the white flipper bands.

The minke whale’s diet mainly consists of larger fish, such as herring, when these are available, but is also supplemented by krill. Its short baleen plates help filter this prey from seawater during feeding dives. When food is plentiful, they can be seen in pods of up to 100 animals.

From the Arctic to Antarctica, the minke whale’s habitat spans all the world’s oceans. It is found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, including waters around Iceland, Norway, Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, and Scotland.

Considered the smallest of the rorqual whales, the minke whale is significantly smaller than its whale relatives:

• Blue whales: Up to 26 meters (85 ft.)
• Fin whale: Up to 18–22 meters (59–72 ft)
• Humpback whale: Up to 11–15 meters (35–50 ft)
• Minke whale: 7–10 meters (23–33 ft)

Killer whales are the primary natural predators of minke whales, particularly targeting juveniles. They are also targets of commercial whaling, accidental capture in fishing gear, and pollution.

The common minke whale is not considered endangered and is listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN. However, the species remains threatened by whaling, which continues in the North Atlantic and Antarctic, with an annual catch of 500-1,000 animals by countries such as Norway, Japan, and Iceland.