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 Minke
Whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
{not Federally listed as endangered or threatened}
The
minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, is the smallest
of the baleen whales, and is found globally in tropical, temperate,
and polar waters. Adult males average 8 m in length and weigh
up to 6 tons, while females can attain lengths of 8.5 m and
weigh 8 tons. The minke whale is a sleek animal with a sharply
pointed head, flat rostrum, broad flukes, and a prominent falcate
dorsal fin. Minke whales are primarily black or dark steel gray
in color, with lighter undersides and a pale dorsal chevron
behind the head. A distinctive feature is the white patch or
"mitten" on both flippers.
In the North Pacific, especially the eastern North Pacific,
minkes are primarily a coastal species (Green et al. 1989)
and feed on euphausiids, copepods, schooling fish, and squid
(Nemoto 1970, Stewert and Leatherwood 1985). They breed year
round, and breeding activity appears to peak in January and
June (Omura and Sakiura 1956). There are no reliable estimates
of population status or trends for north Pacific minke whales
(Small and DeMaster 1995).
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