Characteristics:
- Minke whales are relatively small whales, with adults reaching lengths of 22-33 feet (6.7-10 meters) and weighing up to 17 tons.
- They have a slender body with a pointed snout, a dorsal fin located about two-thirds of the way back along their body and a pair of flippers.
- Their coloration varies from black or dark gray on the dorsal (upper) side to white on the ventral (lower) side.
Behavior:
- Minke whales are solitary creatures, but they can be seen in small groups.
- They are known to be vocal whales, and produce a variety of sounds including low-frequency moans, high-pitched whistles, and pulsed calls.
- Minke whales are generally slow swimmers, reaching speeds of about 5-10 miles per hour (8-16 kilometers per hour) but they can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) over short distances.
- They feed on a variety of organisms including krill, fish and squid.
Conservation:
- Minke whales are considered to be a least concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but they are still subject to hunting in some areas.
- The main threats to minke whales include hunting, bycatch in fishing nets, collisions with ships, and noise pollution.