The Minke Whale

The minke whales are the smallest of the baleen whales. They can reach lengths of up to 10 meters, and a total weight of 8 tonnes. The minke whales caught in the North East Atlantic are normally between 5 and 8 metres long. They swim alone or in small groups of 3-4. Minke whale stocks can also be found further west in the North Atlantic, in the North Pacific and around the Antarctic. The minke whale becomes sexually mature at an age of 6-7 years and the females normally give birth once a year, normally to just the one offspring, but twins have also been recorded. They have a lifespan of 30-50 years.