SEI WHALE

Balaenoptera borealis

Length: 15–20 meters
Weight: 20–30 tons
Worldwide population: 50.000–70.000 individuals
Life expectancy: About 80 years

Sei whales are, like blue and fin whale, baleen whales.

They are 12 - 20 m in length, very dark in color and their spout, 3 m in height, can be spotted in good weather conditions. Sei whales and minke whales are similar in looks and can easily be mistaken, but sei whales are bigger in size and have a dominant dorsal fin.

Their breathing cycle is up to 3 - 4 times, before deep diving. Usually, they stay submerged for 5 - 7 minutes, sometimes longer. Sei whales generally don't lift their fluke, but will sometimes roll over before diving.

These species can best be spotted in the west of Iceland, but prefer to keep to deeper waters; about 30 - 60 miles offshore. An estimated 10,000 individuals travel to Icelandic waters every summer, feeding mainly on plankton, krill and various species of small fish.