Mammals of the WorldAntarctic Minke Whale
Balaenoptera bonaerensis
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Balaenopteridae
- Genus
- Balaenoptera
- IUCN status
- NT
- Distribution
- Antarctica|Argentina|Australia|Brazil|Chile|Namibia|New Zealand|Peru|South Africa|South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands|Suriname|Christmas Island|Uruguay|Angola?|Comoros?|Fiji?|French Guiana?|French Polynesia?|Indonesia?|Kenya?|Madagascar?|Mauritius?|Mayotte?|Mozambique?|New Caledonia?|Réunion?|Tanzania?|Vanuatu?
- Realm
- Marine
Other names: Southern Minke Whale
About this species
- Size
- Length 7–10 m
- Habitat
- Cold oceanic and pack-ice waters
- Range
- Surrounding seas
Balaenoptera bonaerensis is a small rorqual of Antarctic and Southern Ocean waters. It differs from the common minke whale by lacking the latter’s bright white flipper band. The body is streamlined, dark above and pale below, with a sharply pointed snout. Its curved dorsal fin sits far back on the body.
It occurs mainly south of New Zealand and may enter subantarctic waters. Its core range surrounds Antarctica, especially near seasonal sea ice. It eats krill and small schooling fish using short lunge-feeding dives. It is often solitary or in small groups outside feeding aggregations.
There is no dependable mainland site; subantarctic expedition voyages offer only occasional sightings.
Description: Wildlife of New Zealand guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com)