Minke Whale
Minke WhaleMinke WhaleMinke WhaleMinke Whale

Minke Whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Vatnajokull National Park
31 Verified records at Vatnajokull National Park
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The common minke whale or northern minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is a species of minke whale within the suborder of baleen whales. It is the smallest species of the rorquals and the second smallest species of baleen whale. Although first ignored by whalers due to its small size and low oil yield, it began to be exploited by various countries beginning in the early 20th century. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Minke Whale sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 31 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Vatnajokull National Park

Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

30–40% · Possible
North Atlantic Bottle-nosed Whale
NT

North Atlantic Bottle-nosed Whale

Mammal

Hyperoodon ampullatus

5–10% · With luck
Common Porpoise
LC

Common Porpoise

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocoena phocoena

5–10% · With luck
Long-finned Pilot Whale
LC

Long-finned Pilot Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Globicephala melas

Insufficient data
White-beaked Dolphin
LC

White-beaked Dolphin

Mammal

Lagenorhynchus albirostris

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
20–30
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
30–40
Oct
5–10
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
10–20%
2 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
3 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
4 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
6 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
7 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
8 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
9 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
10 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
11 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
12 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
13 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Minke Whale in Vatnajokull National Park?

About 19% of wildlife watchers report a Minke Whale sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 31 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Minke Whale in Vatnajokull National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Minke Whale in Vatnajokull National Park in our monthly data.

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