Name: Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis)
Length: 19.5m.
Weight: 28 tonnes.
Location: All open Oceans between the Polar Regions.
Conservation status: Endangered.
Diet: Krill, copepods, other zooplankton.
Appearance: Dark bluish-grey with a lighter underside.
By Christin Khan, NOAA / NEFSC (http://cbkhan.blogspot.com/) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
How do Sei Whales feed?
Sei Whales open their mouths while swimming to gulp in water, then strain it through their baleens, trapping krill inside. They are shallow divers, staying under for 5 to 15 minutes, and often swim on their side near the surface through clouds of prey. They consume about 900kg of food daily.
Are Sei Whales social?
Sei Whales sometimes travel solo or in pods of up to 6 members.
How fast do Sei Whales swim?
Sei Whales are among the fastest cetaceans, reaching speeds up to 50 mph for short sprints.
Picture by Erwin Vermeulen
What is the Sei Whale breeding cycle like?
Females give birth every 2 to 3 years, usually to a single calf. Both sexes reach sexual maturity around 9 years old. Mating occurs in temperate, sub-tropical seas during winter. Pregnancy lasts 10 ¾ months to 1 year, and calves are weaned at 6 to 9 months, reaching about 8 or 9 meters in length.
How long do Sei Whales live?
Sei Whales live up to 65 years.
How many Sei Whales are there today?
There are about 80,000 Sei Whales today, roughly 1/3 of their population before the whaling boom of the late 1800s to early 1900s.
Do Sei Whales have any natural predators?
The only natural predator of Sei Whales is a pack of Orcas (Killer Whales).
Picture by Michael Wenger
7 Scintillating Sei Whale Facts
- Sei Whales are the 4th largest rorqual after the Blue Whale, Fin Whale, and Humpback Whale.
- The name "Sei" comes from the Norwegian word for Pollock, a fish that appears in the same areas as Sei Whales.
- American naturalist Roy Chapman Andrews compared the Sei Whale to the Cheetah for its ability to swim fast for short distances but tire quickly.
- Sei Whales have 2 blow holes like other baleens.
- They prefer traveling solo or in small pods but may gather by the thousands where food is abundant.
- Unlike other baleens, Sei Whales avoid the cold waters of the Polar Regions, preferring temperate areas.
- The scientific name Balaenoptera borealis means "winged whale" and "northern."
