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Common Minke Whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Mammal · family Balaenopteridae · order Cetacea

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Common Minke Whale
Photo: Marie Firmin Bocourt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
13 states[3]
Longest recorded life
50 years[4]

The Common Minke Whale is a mammal in the whale family Balaenopteridae[5]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe records it as native in 13 US states and territories[1][3].

Conservation status

The Common Minke Whale is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a legal fact, not a promise that it faces no risk. NatureServe gives it a global rank of G5 (Secure) and a United States national rank of N2 (Imperiled)[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. It is also in CITES Appendix I, which sets controls on international trade[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N2 (Imperiled)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
CITES (international trade)[8] Appendix I

Where Common Minke Whale lives

NatureServe lists this whale as native in Alaska, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Washington[3]. NatureServe gives each state its own conservation rank, shown in the table on this page[9]. Observation records on GBIF are most numerous for Massachusetts, California, Maine, Washington and Alaska, but those counts follow observer effort and not population size[10].

Alaska: native, state rank S4AKMaine: native, state rank SNRMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: native, state rank SUWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: native, state rank SNRNNYMassachusetts: native, state rank S3MAOregon: native, state rank SNAORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: native, state rank S1MDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank SNANCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S3SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S1TXFlorida: native, state rank SNRFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (13 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS4Apparently Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
FloridaSNRNot Ranked
MaineSNRNot Ranked
MarylandS1Critically Imperiled
MassachusettsS3Vulnerable
New YorkSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
North CarolinaSNANot Applicable
OregonSNANot Applicable
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaS3Vulnerable
TexasS1Critically Imperiled
WashingtonSUUnrankable

Habitat

NatureServe records three habitat types for this whale. They are bay or sound, pelagic (open ocean) and near shore waters[11]. Its notes describe coastal and pelagic waters[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

NatureServe describes this whale as a fish eater and an eater of invertebrates[13]. In the North Atlantic it eats mainly fishes and krill, and the fishes are small schooling kinds[14]. One estimate puts its diet at 70% invertebrates and 30% fish[15]. A female usually has a single calf[16]. Gestation lasts 312 days[17]. Females reach sexual maturity at 2,740 days[18]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 50 years, which is a record and not a typical lifespan[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[19] 9100 cm (3583 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 50 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[16] 1
Gestation or incubation[17] 312 days
Female maturity[18] 2,740 days (about 7.5 years)
Food habits[13] Piscivore, Invertivore
Active[20] diurnal
Migration[21] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[15]

  • 70% invertebrates
  • 30% fish

When to look for it

NatureServe says many populations move to high latitude waters in summer and to low latitude waters in winter[22]. Its migration category covers non-migrant, local migrant and long-distance migrant, because populations can differ[21]. GBIF records in the United States are highest in January, February and March[23]. These records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[23].

January: 52,344 recordsJanFebruary: 44,204 recordsFebMarch: 46,450 recordsMarApril: 25,637 recordsAprMay: 3,374 recordsMayJune: 1,190 recordsJunJuly: 1,319 recordsJulAugust: 1,084 recordsAugSeptember: 573 recordsSepOctober: 2,377 recordsOctNovember: 30,706 recordsNovDecember: 21,752 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[23].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January52,344
February44,204
March46,450
April25,637
May3,374
June1,190
July1,319
August1,084
September573
October2,377
November30,706
December21,752

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Common Minke Whale as present in 9 park units[24]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Massachusetts, California, Maine, Washington, Alaska[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Common Minke Whale endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) globally and N2 (Imperiled) nationally in the United States[2][6].
Where does the Common Minke Whale live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Alaska, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Washington[3].
What does the Common Minke Whale eat?
In the North Atlantic it eats mainly small schooling fishes and krill[14]. One estimate gives 70% invertebrates and 30% fish[15].
How long does the Common Minke Whale live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 50 years[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan.
When are Common Minke Whales reported in the US?
GBIF records are highest in January, February and March[23]. These records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are.

Facts and sources

  1. Common Minke Whale is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Common Minke Whale: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Common Minke Whale as native in 13 US states and territories: Alaska, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Washington. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 50 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Common Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is a mammal in the family Balaenopteridae, order Cetacea. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N2 (Imperiled). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix I (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Common Minke Whale (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Common Minke Whale: Massachusetts, California, Maine, Washington, Alaska. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Common Minke Whale: Bay/sound, Pelagic, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Common Minke Whale. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Common Minke Whale. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 70% invertebrates, 30% fish. EltonTraits 1.0
  16. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 1. AnAge
  17. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 312 days. AnAge
  18. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 2,740 days (about 7.5 years). AnAge
  19. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 9100 cm (3583 in). NatureServe Explorer
  20. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  21. NatureServe migration category for Common Minke Whale: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  22. NatureServe notes on migration for Common Minke Whale. NatureServe Explorer
  23. GBIF observation records of Common Minke Whale in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  24. NPSpecies park lists recording Common Minke Whale as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Marie Firmin Bocourt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.