Gregr, E.J. … A whale this size weighs about 10 tons (20,000 pounds). National Marine Fisheries Service. Sei w… It swims in small pods of 3-5 whales but larger groups may form at rich feeding grounds. In areas where commercial fishing is extremely competitive over fishing causing some populations to relocate or face difficulties maintaining their food supply. It was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act, the predecessor to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), in 1970. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Killer Whales are also the deadliest Whales in the oceans. Photo courtesy of Christin Khan from NOAA. The average lifespan for sei whales is 50 – 70 years. Under Japan's Northern Pacific research whaling program for 2017-2028, allowed by the International Whaling Commission, it … Critical Habitat The sei whale population was decimated by commercial whaling in the 1800s and early 1900s. Sei whales are filter feeders and attack their prey by opening its mouth and swimming towards its prey with its mouth open. Sei whale has pointed rostrum (snout), short pectoral fins, tall, slightly hooked dorsal fin … This species is primarily gray with oval shaped white scars due to bites from cigar sharks and lampreys (fish). This Sei Whale was a juvenile male, 38 feet in length and still not at the adult size of 45 feet. If the numbers do not recover, they could be listed as critical. 620 S. Meridian St. • Tallahassee, FL • (850) 488-4676 During the summer, they are commonly found in the Gulf of Maine, and on Georges Bank and Stellwagen Bank off the U.S. coast in the western North Atlantic. Currently the Sei Whale is an endangered species on the threatened list. Migration for the sei whale typically involves traveling to cooler waters during the warmer summer months in order to obtain food and build up their supply of blubber. The sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis). As of current not much is known about why these sounds are created. The nicknames ‘pollack whale', ‘coalfish whale' and ‘sardine whale' come from the fact that the appearance of sei whales often signalled the presence of large numbers of these fish. Sei whales grow to be 60 feet long, weigh up to 100,000 pounds and live to be 70 years old, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc. The global distribution of sei whales is unpredictable and poorly understood. In regards to natural threats the only marine mammals known to hunt these large whales is a pod of killer whales. The sei whale typically travels alone or in groups of two to five, but occasionally forms loose gatherings of 30 to 50 animals on productive feeding grounds. Sei Whale Balaenoptera borealis. It is ranked #3 in terms of overall Baleen Whale size. Sei whale has dark, bluish grey back and light-colored belly. The sei whale is one of the fastest whales, with a cruising speed of 16 mph and a maximum speed reaching up to 35 - 40 mph. Despite their large size these whales maintain a diet consisting primarily of krill, copepods, fish and plankton. The take of these animals peaked in the 1964-65 season, when 25,454 of these whales were taken. Best, P.B. 1) The sei whale is the 3rd largest living animal on this planet after the blue whale and fin whale. Sei whales are also Federally protected as a Depleted species by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Sei Whale migrates annually from cool and subpolar waters in summer to temperate and subtropical waters for winter. 7) The only known potential natural predators of the sei whale is a pack of killer whale. Introduction to Sei Whale. An American naturalist named Roy Chapman Andrews named it the cheetah whale because of its speed bursts. Japan has killed up to 100 sei whales annually since 2000. Previously before the whaling era these marine mammals were a much more abundant species throughout the world, however extensive hunting has caused significant decreases in certain sei whale populations. 3) The scientific name for the sei whale is, “Balaenoptera borealis”. Trites, Predictions of critical habitat for five whale species in the waters of coastal British Columbia. Breeding seasons differ in the geographical regions as the Northern Hemisphere sei whale population breeds between November and February, while the Southern Hemisphere population breeds between the months of May and July. Oil spills, toxic chemicals and garbage can either affect the whales health directly or through the sources of food they eat. 7 Scintillating Sei Whale Facts. The reported global catch of Sei whales in the 1978-79 season was only 150, showing the dramatic drop in whale populations. Most sei whales appear to prefer living in moderate temperate cool to warm waters rather then in the freezing polar or hottest tropical regions of the world. The Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) is a dark-gray, stream-lined baleen whale that is found worldwide except in polar waters. A Sei Whale lives to be about 70 years old. Draft Recovery Plan for the Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis). However, recently there have been more pregnancies spotted, suggesting that due to the mass harvesting and the decline in numbers, more female Sei Whales are giving birth on an increased pace to restore the population. Copyright 1999 - 2020 State of Florida. They are fast swimmers, possibly the fastest of all cetaceans (whales and dolphins) reaching 50 kmh (31 mph) over short distances. Annually from cool and subpolar waters around the world fine grey-black baleen that traps very small particles of food day... 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