Sei Whale

Latin Name

Balaenoptera borealis

Group Name

Marine Mammals

Taxonomy details

Habitat

Sei whales are a cosmopolitan species with a patchy oceanic distribution. The whales seem to favour deep offshore habitat and do not usually enter icy waters. Little is known about the whales' wintering grounds.

Species Description

The third largest baleen whale, seis can weigh up to 40 tons and grow to between 18 and 21 metres in length; females are generally half a metre longer than males. The whale has dark grey skin with variable white undersides and light-coloured patches over its upper body. The dorsal fin is curved and the undersides of flippers and tail flukes are dark grey or bluish in colour. The sei whale can be identified easily by its inverted v-shaped spout, which reaches six to eight feet into the air.