Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni )
Family Balaenopteridae
Description: Those observed in the UAE have measured about 10m in length, but this species may reach 14m. Subtle grey mottling covers the broad back on the otherwise dark skin. It is almost identical to the sei whale in appearance, but can be distinguished by three prominent ridges that run in parallel along the top of the rostrum back to the blowholes. The central of the three ridges is the most pronounced, and the only one present in sei, minke, blue and fin whales. Circular dish-sized scars are the result of cookie-cutter sharks that attack the whales, taking bites out of the flesh on the back and tailstock. The dorsal fin is pointed and curves backward, set about two thirds of the way back along the body. The tail is rarely seen, as it is not lifted on diving as in other species such as the humpback, and the flippers are small and may go unnoticed. Like the minke, however, Bryde’s whales in the UAE may approach a boat quite closely, and there may be the added attraction of a glimpse of a calf, as this species seems to breed here.
Habitat: Warm, preferably deep, water. In the UAE probably has a diet consisting of small shoaling fish.
Range: May include the Gulf of Oman, although it has only been seen in the Arabian Gulf.
Comments: This species generally spends its entire life in the warmth of the tropics. Its intolerance for cold has earned the Bryde’s whale its alternative common name, the tropical whale. It is known to approach boats and may swim directly beneath them, just a few feet below the surface.