……objective science for conservation…….

The Pacific WildLife Foundation is a non-profit coastal and marine research and education society  that inspires an appreciation for objective scientific research and conservation of the ocean. We conduct original research, develop novel education programs, and inspire an appreciation for conservation of the ocean. 

Sei Whale Balaenoptera borealis

The sei Whale (pronounced ‘sigh’) is among the largest of whales in the north Pacific - only the fin, sperm and blue whale are longer. The total length of adults is 14-18 meters (Wilson and Ruff 1999). The sei whale feeds on krill, copepods and small fish by gulping and skimming the surface. They will sometimes gather in large numbers to feed but more often they occur in small groups of 2-5 individuals. They are quite fast and agile for a large whale.  Cetacean taxonomists recognize two subspecies of sei whale - the Northern Hemisphere B. b. borealis and the Southern Hemisphere B. a. schlegelii (Wilson and Ruff 1999).

References

Weir, C. R., C. Pollock, C. Cronin, S. Taylor. 2001. Cetaceans of the Atlantic Frontier, north and west of Scotland. Continental Shelf Research 21: 1047–1071.

Wilson, D. E. and S. Ruff 1999. The Smithsonian book of North American mammals. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, BC