Baleen whale
Minke whales are baleen whales (filter-feeding whales) and are classified among the rorquals.
Minke Whale
The minke whale is a species complex of baleen whale that includes northern and southern forms.
lesser rorqualnorthern common minke whalesouthern Antarctic minke whale
Species Guide
What to know about minke whales
A clean field guide focused on habitat, identification, behavior, and conservation context without burying the useful parts.
The minke whale is a species complex of baleen whale, commonly called the lesser rorqual. It comprises two recognized species or forms: the northern (common) minke whale and the southern (Antarctic) minke whale. The animals were first described in the scientific literature in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; Otto Fabricius described a specimen in 1780 and Bernard Germain de Lacépède described a juvenile in 1804. The common English name derives from the Norwegian minkehval and may reference a Norwegian whaler, Meincke, who once mistook a northern minke whale for a blue whale.
The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Townsville, Wellington and countries such as Canada, Japan, New Zealand for divers building trips around minke whales.
Identification
How to identify minke whales
The visual markers divers can use underwater, plus the species most likely to cause confusion.
Key identification markers
Lesser rorqual
They are commonly referred to as lesser rorquals, distinguishing them from larger rorqual species.
