The Sei whale gets its name from the Norwegian word for pollack as their presence is known to coincide with plentiful pollack in the water. They are a member of the rorqual family of whales which includes blue, fin and minke whales, however, unlike other rorquals, Sei whales do not gulp feed, instead skimming the surface open-mouthed feeding on a variety of fish species, squid and plankton.
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Sei whales are the third largest whale in the world and can weigh up to 28 tons, equivalent to around 60 grand pianos
Book a boat trip during late summer for the best chances to see these beautiful creatures. Sei Whales are more elusive than minke whales but much bigger so they should be easier to spot from the coast. Look across the horizon. Make sure you scan your eyes slowly from left to right while on the boat and take note of anything that breaks the surface of the ocean water.
They can be identified by their long backs with a tall dorsal fin two thirds of the way along their back. They are around twice the size of a minke whale so noticeably larger and with a much taller dorsal fin than that of a fin whale. Although they do not raise their tail flukes when they dive, they can often leave distinctive “fluke prints” at the surface as they flick their tail flukes up, creating a large flat circle at the surface of the water – a whale footprint!
They are a member of the rorqual family of whales which includes blue, fin and minke whales, however, unlike other rorquals, Sei whales do not gulp feed, instead skimming the surface open-mouthed feeding on a variety of fish species, squid and plankton.
The Sei whale gets its name from the Norwegian word for pollack as their presence is known to coincide with plentiful pollack in the water.
They were once heavily targeted by whalers seeing Sei whale numbers plummet and they are now classed as an endangered species. Around the world they are divided into three subpopulations – North Atlantic, North Pacific and Southern Hemisphere. There are thought to be around 12,000 individuals in the North Atlantic population and in excess of 50,000 worldwide with their numbers on the increase.
The Sei whale can reach up to almost 20 metres in length but is a fast swimmer, reaching speeds in excess of 30mph.
Padstow Sealife Safaris give you the chance to get up close and personal with these fascinating creatures. Depending on the time of year that you choose to visit, you’ll have the chance to see a number of different species.
