Common Minke Whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Cetartiodactyla
- Family
- Balaenopteridae
- Genus
- Balaenoptera
- Species
- Balaenoptera acutorostrata
The common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is the smallest of the rorquals, usually 7 to 9 m long, with a sharply pointed snout, a tall hooked dorsal fin and, in most populations, a bright white band across each flipper.
Minke whales feed on krill and small schooling fish and are usually seen alone or in small groups. Their blow is low and often hard to see, so they can be easy to miss even when close to a boat.
In the Philippines common minke whales are rarely recorded, with occasional sightings and strandings mainly in northern waters. They are considered occasional visitors rather than regular residents.