Minke whales - Oceana USA
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October 7, 2009

Minke whales

minke whaleOur second day filming the Bermeo seamount was very special. Three minke whales have accompanied our boat for more than an hour, getting as close as 2-3 meters from us.

Two adults and one juvenile were feeding, and the young one came close to us various times. The adults were less curious. This seamount is a hot spot for marine life in the area. We’ve spotted schools of fish, dolphins, marine birds and minke whales feeding.

The minke whale is the smallest and most common of the rorquals. The adults can reach up to 7 to 10 meters in length. Proof exists that these whales have been sighted in the waters of Galicia. Distribution is practically worldwide; these whales can be found in tropical, temperate and polar waters in both hemispheres. We saw its pointed snout as it lifted its head out of the water, and then its back, when it surfaced to breathe.

We also saw the white bands on the pectoral fins that are perfectly visible even when the whale is underwater. In the photographs, we can also see how the transition from the white of the whale’s belly to the darker hues of its back form characteristic shapes on the whale’s flanks, different for each individual.