Minke
Whales
 Minke
whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) are another of the baleen
(toothless) whales that inhabit our paddling area. Except for the
right pygmy whale, the minke whale is the smallest baleen whale
in the world. About half the size of humpback whales, minke whales
are quiet, shy and slow moving.
Minke whales
are solitary when feeding, and they feed primarily on schools of
herring and other small fish. They weigh approximately 5 tons at
maturity, and can reach weights of over 10 tons. They typically
live to be 30-50 years old.
Minkes are the
most abundant baleen whales in the world, largely because of the
decimation of the larger baleen whales by whaling. Their numbers
are not known, but there are estimated to be about a million minke
whales existing in the world today.
On our paddling
trips, we generally see solitary minke whales. Their blows are small
and they don't usually come very far out of the water, so it can
sometimes require a keen eye and ear to spot them. We don't encounter
minke whales frequently, but they can be seen on all our kayaking
adventures.
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