Dwarf Minke Whale

• IUCN: Least Concern
• Other names: Bay whale, pikehead whale
• Swahili name: Nyangumi wa ghuba
• Length: 6-8m
• Weight: 4-6 tonnes
• Life expectancy: 26 years
• Abundance: Southern hemisphere, tropical to temperate waters.
• Occurance: April to September
• Primary prey: Small schooling fish and krill.
• Conservation status: Unknown, but a target for modern whaling.
• Quick key identification: Can be confused with the young Bryde’s, fin or sei whales. Has the most complex colour patter of any baleen whale. Dark band of colour on the neck, between the end of the mouth and flipper, which continues as a dark throat patch extending on each side down to the throat are distinctive found only on dwarf minke whales. Underside is white, pale grey or pale brown starting from head to past mid-body and on side of body. The flippers are dark with a bright white patch on each flipper. Pointy head/snout and tall curved dorsal fin located about two-thirds down their back. Much smaller than their baleen counterparts. 50-70 short throat pleats extending just beyond their flippers. Between 231-285 pairs baleen plates in two rows (left and right) suspended from the upper jaw. Plates are cream at the front, darkening to black at the back. More often creamy plates on the right side than on the left.

Though the dwarf minke whale (a southern hemisphere form of the common minke whale) is unique and often confused with the common or Antartic minke whale, they have yet to have more data collected about them in the East African region. There is currently no East African conservation status for the dwarf minke whale. They are easy to identify due to their sheer smallness in comparison to other baleen whales, yet are lunge feeders like most other baleen whales. Group sizes are between 1-15 but not as surface-active as their counterparts.

• Small, sleek whale
• Sharply pointed head, prominent ridge on centre
• Gray above, light below, distinctive light areas on sides
• Bright white patch on each flipper
• 50-70 short throat pleats extending to just past flippers
• Baleen: 231-285 pairs of cream coloured plates
Maximum length 7.9m