Northern hemisphere minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)

Species information

Videos and images

Facts

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Cetartiodactyla
Family	Balaenopteridae
Genus	Balaenoptera (1)
Size	Male length: 6.7 - 9.8 m (2) Female length: 7.3 - 10.7 m (2)
Weight	8 - 13 tonnes (3)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Status

Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1). Listed on Annex IV of the EC Habitats Directive. All whales are listed on Annex A of EU Council Regulation 338/97 and are therefore classed as if they are listed on Appendix 1 of CITES. Under the Fisheries Act of 1981 whaling is illegal in UK waters. All cetaceans (whales and dolphins) are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order, 1985. The UK recognises the authority of the International Whaling Commission in matters concerning whaling regulations (4).