Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetartiodactyla
Family: Balaenopteridae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Species: Balaenoptera physalus

The fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is the second-largest animal on Earth, reaching over 20 m. It is long and slender with a dark grey back, a swept-back dorsal fin and a unique asymmetrical colouring of the head: the right lower jaw is white while the left is dark.

Often called the greyhound of the sea, the fin whale is one of the fastest large whales. It feeds on krill, small schooling fish and squid, rolling on its side as it lunges through prey.

In the Philippines fin whales are rare, with only a few records from deep offshore waters. The species is listed as Vulnerable, and sightings in tropical Philippine seas are considered exceptional.

Photo: Jorge Herreros de Lartundo, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist