Common minke whales are distinguished from other whales by a
white band on each flipper. The body is usually black or dark-grey
above and white underneath. Most of the length of the back, including
dorsal fin and blowholes, appears at once when the whale surfaces to breathe.
The whale then breathes 3-5 times at short intervals before
'deep-diving' for 2-20 minutes. Deep dives are preceded by a pronounced
arching of the back. The maximum swimming speed of minkes has been
estimated at 20-30 km/h. Minke whales have between 240 and 360 baleen
plates on each side of their mouths. Sexual maturity is reached at
7 or 8 years. Breeding peaks during the summer months. The gestation is
10 to 11 months and calving is thought to occur every two years.

Facts