Common Minke Whale

The smallest baleen whale, up to 10 m, with an elongated body, pointed head and white patches at the base of the pectoral fins. Resident in Portugal and seen year-round both offshore and in coastal water under 200 m, it hunts fish such as sardines by driving schools to the surface, often alongside seabirds. Its Portuguese population is small and thought to be declining, and it frequently drowns in coastal fishing gear.