Northern Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
A mid-sized whale, black on the back and pink, white belly, with curved dorsal fin. Migratory whale spending summer in the arctic and winter in the tropics.
- 🇫🇷 Petit Rorqual, Baleine de Minke
- 🇩🇪 Zwergwal
- 🇲🇽 Ballena de minke común, Ballena enana
Characteristics
- Length: 6-8m
- Weight: 2-4.5t
How to Identify
Black or dark grey back, white, pink belly, and white stripe across the flippers are distinctive characteristics.
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Where and When to Spot
My first Minke Whale observation happened in Tadoussac in late May. Minke whales stay in St. Lawrence Winter all summer. During a two week stay in Portneuf-sur-Mer in the second half of August, I had many observations.
Observations by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park | - | x | - | - |
"-" indicates no observation. It may not necessarily mean though that the species is absent from the park during that season.