Minke Whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
🐋
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Cetacea
Balaenopteridae
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
The smallest member of the rorqual whales, the Minke Whale is a fast, agile baleen whale found in oceans worldwide. Unlike many of its larger relatives, it was not heavily targeted until modern commercial whaling began.
Description
Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata / Balaenoptera bonaerensis) — The Minke Whale is a small baleen whale and part of the rorqual family, which includes the blue and fin whales. It has a streamlined body, a pointed rostrum, and characteristic white bands on its flippers (in the Northern Hemisphere species).
There are two main species:
Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Common or Northern Minke Whale)
Balaenoptera bonaerensis (Antarctic or Southern Minke Whale)
Minke whales can dive for over 20 minutes and feed on krill, small schooling fish, and other zooplankton. They're known for their curious behavior and are often observed approaching ships. Despite their smaller size, they are still targeted in modern whaling under “scientific” or “aboriginal subsistence” exemptions.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
10000
0.5
0.75
9
kg
m
m
m
Piscivore
Planktivores/Filter Feeders
Hunt History
While not heavily hunted during the early days of whaling due to their small size and speed, Minke Whales became primary targets in the 20th century after larger species were decimated.
They were rarely targeted by pre-modern or prehistoric coastal peoples, as their capture would have required advanced seafaring and hunting tools. However, stranded individuals may have been scavenged by early coastal communities in both the North Atlantic and the Pacific.
Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Human Interaction:
Norwegian coast (Mesolithic period) – Whale bone tools possibly made from Minke or other small whales; stranded individuals scavenged.
Jomon Culture (Japan) – Coastal settlements around 3,000–5,000 years ago show remains of small baleen whales, likely including Minke.
Pacific Northwest (Makah People) – Although they focused more on gray whales, some remains of small rorquals suggest occasional hunting or scavenging of Minkes.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Extant
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
0
BP
Holocene
Oceans
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
High
Fat %
35
Est. Renderable Fat
3500
kg
Targeted Organs
Blubber
Adipose Depots
Blubber (circumferential), subcutaneous
Preferred Cuts
Blubber strips
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
5