Mammals · Artiodactyla · Balaenopteridae

Bryde's Whale

Balaenoptera edeni

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Bryde's whale is the only large rorqual that lives all year in warm water, without the great seasonal migrations of its relatives. It is told from the others by three longitudinal ridges on the top of its head, rather than a single one. It feeds on shoaling fish and krill, lunging sideways through the shoals. It largely escaped commercial whaling because of its intermediate size, though it was exploited once the larger species became scarce.

Weight

12 t – 25 t

Size

11.5 m – 15.5 m

Lifespan

50 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanCarnivore Variable activity Solitary Ocean Mammal

57countries 41parks 14dive sites5same family

Fun facts

comportamientoUnlike most rorquals it makes no great seasonal migration to the poles, staying all year in warm and temperate water.
It is the only large rorqual that does not migrate: it lives all year in warm water, and can therefore breed in any season rather than following the rigid calendar of its polar relatives.
It has three parallel ridges on its rostrum, while all other rorquals have just one: it is the feature that allows it to be identified with certainty at sea.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Tropical and subtropical waters of every ocean, at temperatures above 16 degrees
Birth weight: Around 900 kg
Size at birth: About 3.5-4 m long at birth
Sexual maturity: 8.5 years
Gestation / incubation: 12.4 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaenoptera_edeni

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: All year round in warm and temperate waters: unlike other rorquals it does not migrate to the poles, so in the Gulf of Thailand or off South Africa it can be seen in any season.