Brydes Whale - Balaenoptera edeni


This species is the tropical baleen whale. Adults range in size from 36-48 feet and can weigh up to 40,000 pounds. These whales are usually very shy or quite curious. They appear at first glance to be juvenile Finback whales, but are lighter in color and possess a falcate or sharply curved dorsal fin. Their most distinguishing feature is the 3 ridges they have on top of their rostrum or head. Every other species of whale has only one. But this is very difficult to see in the wild, it takes a calm day and a very easygoing or curious Brydes whale to make this type of detail possible to observe. Young Brydes whales are the most likely to be curious, at times even rolling around right in front of or even under the boat. This species occasionally falls prey to a pod of cooperatively hunting Orcas or Killer whales. This has been observed by this author once on the Sea of Cortez, with the kill taking the Orcas 48 minutes to accomplish.

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