Common Minke Whale

The common minke whale is the smallest regularly occurring rorqual in the Northern Hemisphere. It has a pointed snout, streamlined body and a sharply curved dorsal fin set far back. Northern animals usually show a conspicuous white band across each flipper. Adults are commonly 7–10m long, with females larger than males; surfacing blows are low and often inconspicuous (Wikipedia, general species account).

Across its range, the species occurs from coastal shelves to offshore temperate and polar waters. It feeds by lunging through concentrations of krill and small schooling fish, expanding the pleated throat to engulf prey-laden water before filtering it through baleen. Minke whales are often solitary or in small groups, although many may gather where feeding conditions are productive (Wikipedia, general species account).