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 |
| Taxonomy | |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder | Cetacea |
| Family | Balaenopteridae |
How to Identify
Black or dark grey back, white, pink belly, and white stripe across the flippers are distinctive characteristics.
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Characteristics
| Length | 6-8m |
| Weight | 2-4.5t |
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.
Observation Records by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park | - | x | - | - |
"x" indicates the species was observed, while "-" indicates no observation. Lack of observation doesn't necessarily imply that the species is absent. Data is derived from our park visit journals.