The minke whales are the second smallest of the baleen whales
- only the pygmy right whale is smaller. Upon reaching sexual maturity (6–8
years of age), male and female minke whales measure an average of 6.9 and 7.4
metres (22'8" to 24' 3") in length, respectively. Estimates of maximum length
vary from 9.1 m to 10.7 m (28'10" to 35'1") for females and 8.8 m to 9.8 m
(28'8" 10" to 32'5") for males. Both sexes typically weigh 4-5 tons at maturity,
and the maximum weight may be as much as 14 tons. The gestation period for minke
whales is 10 months and babies measure 2.4 to 2.8 metres (7'10" to 9'2") at
birth. The newborns nurse for five months.The Minke Whale is a black/grey colour.
Common minke whales (northern hemisphere variety) are distinguished from other
whales by a white band on each flipper. The body is usually black or dark-grey
above and white underneath. Most of the length of the back, including dorsal fin
and blowholes, appears at once when the whale surfaces to breathe. The whale
then breathes 3-5 times at short intervals before 'deep-diving' for 2–20
minutes. Deep dives are preceded by a pronounced arching of the back. The
maximum swimming speed of minkes has been estimated at 20 km/h. Minke whales
have between 240 and 360 baleen plates on each side of their mouths. Sexual
maturity is reached at 7 or 8 years. Breeding peaks during the summer months.
The gestation is 10 to 11 months and calving is thought to occur every two
years.[6] Minke whales typically live for 30–50 years; in some cases they may
live for up to 60 years.
The brains of minke whales have around 12.8 billion neocortical neurons and 98.2
billion neocortical glia. -- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia