High latitude winter sightings of common minke whale calves (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the Northeast Atlantic

Abstract

Although common minke whales occur in relatively high numbers in the North Atlantic, relatively little is known about their seasonal movements or the location of their breeding and calving grounds. This lack of knowledge compromises our ability to protect potentially important areas for this species. Here we report high latitude winter sightings of unweaned minke whale calves recorded in offshore waters in the Northeast Atlantic. We discuss how such sightings may contribute to our understanding of the winter distribution and movements of this species; raising the possibility that a proportion of the population may over-winter at high latitudes in offshore waters, and that calving may occasionally occur in the warm North Atlantic Drift waters of western Europe’s continental shelf.