Antarctic minke whale

Antarctic minke whales were, until recently, considered a subspecies of the common minke whale. The two species are hard to tell apart. Antarctic minkes lack the white flipper patch and are slightly larger in size, but by standards they're still small, being no more than 10m long and weighing nine tonnes.


There are large numbers of these baleen whales in the oceans of the southern hemisphere, often congregating near or amongst the pack ice. It is here, that small groups form of between two and four individuals. They use their beaks to break breathing holes in the ice. Some populations of Antarctic minke whales between summer and winter feeding grounds. Others remain in waters all year.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Antarctic_minke_whale

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