What are the behaviors of a minke whale?

Minke whales are often active at the surface, and are commonly seen breaching. They frequently poke their heads above the surface (or “spyhop”) in areas of mobile ice. At sea, these animals may be curious and approach vessels, especially those that are stationary.

1. Are minke whales aggressive?
2. What is special about the minke whale?
3. Are minke whales friendly?
4. How fast can minke whales swim?
5. How do minke whales communicate?
6. How do minke whales feed?
7. Why do minke whales smell?
8. What is a predator of a minke whale?
9. How do minke whales sleep?
10. How many minke whales are there?
11. Are minke whales solitary?
12. Can minke whales survive in freshwater?
13. Where is minke whale banned?
14. How can you tell a minke whale?
15. Do minke whales jump?
16. Why are minke whales hunted?
17. Do minke whales Echolocate?
18. How long do minke whales stay with mother?

Are minke whales aggressive?

In nearly two decades of field research on dwarf minkes, such behaviours have never been followed by a higher level of aggression or been associated with other agonistic behaviour.

What is special about the minke whale?

The minke whales are the second smallest baleen whale; only the pygmy right whale is smaller. ... Minke whales have between 240 and 360 baleen plates on each side of their mouths. Most of the length of the back, including dorsal fin and blowholes, appears at once when the whale surfaces to breathe.

Are minke whales friendly?

Considered the smallest type of baleen whale, minke whales are beautiful, graceful creatures that are gentle and friendly towards humans, making them a delight to scuba dive with.

How fast can minke whales swim?

Minkes are known to be fast and agile swimmers for they can swim up to 33 kilometres per hour, especially when their life is being threatened. Minke whales can dive for up to 25 minutes, but they usually spend 10 to 12 minutes underwater before they return back to the surface to breathe.

How do minke whales communicate?

Common minke whales found in the North Atlantic produce repetitive, low-frequency (100-500 Hz) pulse trains that may consist of either grunt-like pulses or thump-like pulses. ... The dwarf form of the common minke whale produces a complex and stereotyped vocalization called the “star-wars” vocalization.

How do minke whales feed?

Minke whales feed by side-lunging into schools of prey and gulping large amounts of water. Sea birds, attracted to the concentrated prey just below the surface, are sometimes associated with minke whale feeding and foraging.

Why do minke whales smell?

Perhaps some chemical in fish or krill also makes it into whales' bloodstreams, giving their exhalations fishy odors. Whale species all over the world have fish breath. The term "stinky minke" is a nickname minke whales earned for their odor of rotten fish.

What is a predator of a minke whale?

Do Minke Whales have any predators? The only natural predators for Minkes are Killer Whales packs which hunt the solo Minkes in chases that can last an hour.

How do minke whales sleep?

The answer is simple, YES they do. Their bodies shut down but only half of their mind stays at rest so that they conscientiously remember to breathe. Breathing near the surface where whales sleep allows them to breathe more conscientiously, meaning each and every breath counts.

How many minke whales are there?

The most recent estimate of overall abundance of Antarctic minke whales is around 500,000 individuals, down from an estimated 720,000 in earlier assessments (International Whaling Commission, 2013).

Are minke whales solitary?

Young minke whales are solitary and generally live in warmer, more central waters. Some groups of minke whales undertake large migrations, while others will stay in a smaller home range, though scientists aren't sure why. Minke whales are filter feeders, similar to right whales and humpback whales.

Can minke whales survive in freshwater?

As marine mammals, whales breathe air, produce milk, give birth, and are warm-blooded animals. Even though these marine mammals thrive in the ocean, whales cannot live in freshwater environments, at least not for long periods of time.

Where is minke whale banned?

These anti-whaling advocates also point to a growing body of evidence that suggests that whales play a pivotal role in regulating the marine ecosystem, and that whales are worth more alive than dead. There has been a global moratorium on commercial whaling since 1986, but Norway chooses to reject this ban.

How can you tell a minke whale?

Minke whales have a sleek, dark grey body and a tall sickle shaped fin that curves backwards. Look out for the distinctive white "armbands" on the pectoral fins (front flippers). Their blow is weak or invisible.

Do minke whales jump?

Minke whales breaching are a very rare sight!

Why are minke whales hunted?

Whaling in Norway involves hunting of minke whales for use as animal and human food in Norway and for export to Japan. Whale hunting has been a part of Norwegian coastal culture for centuries, and commercial operations targeting the minke whale have occurred since the early 20th century.

Do minke whales Echolocate?

Unlike other toothed whales and dolphins, which use fine scale echolocation for hunting purposes, it is thought that minke whales use echolocation for identifying large scale objects, such as reefs or vessels.

How long do minke whales stay with mother?

They breathe 3-5 times in quick succession before diving for between two and twenty minutes. They mostly breed in the summer months, and calves stay with their mothers for five-ten months.