Bryde’s Whale | UPSC

• Bryde’s (pronounced “broodus”) whales are members of the baleen whale family.

• Bryde’s whales are named for Johan Bryde, a Norwegian who built the first whaling stations in South Africa in the early 20th century.

SOURCES: NOAA | Bryde’s Whale | UPSC 

• Bryde’s whales are found in warm, temperate oceans including the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific.
• Some populations of Bryde’s whales migrate with the seasons, while others do not migrate, making them unique among other migrating baleen whales.

• Bryde’s whales look similar to sei whales, but are smaller and prefer warmer waters.
• Unlike other rorquals, which have a single ridge on their rostrum, Bryde’s whales have three prominent ridges in front of their blowhole.

• The head of a Bryde’s whale makes up about one quarter of its entire body length.
• The whales have a broad tail, and a pointed and strongly hooked dorsal fin located about two-thirds back on the body.
• Bryde’s whales have 40 to 70 throat grooves on their underside that expand while feeding.

• Bryde’s whales spend most of the day within 50 feet of the water’s surface.
• They commonly swim at one to four miles per hour, but can reach speeds of 12 to 15 miles per hour.

• Bryde’s whales eat an estimated 1,320 to 1,450 pounds of food per day.

• Bryde’s whales use different methods to feed in the water column, including skimming the surface, lunging, and creating bubble nets.
• Bryde’s whales can blow water 10 to 13 feet into the air when at the water’s surface. 
• Bryde’s whales can change directions unexpectedly when swimming.
• They sometimes generate short, powerful sounds that have low frequencies and sound like “moans.”

• Bryde’s whales have a wide distribution and occur in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters (61° to 72°F) around the world.
• They live in all oceans from 40° south to 40° north.

• Other populations of Bryde’s whales are residents, meaning that they do not migrate.

• Bryde’s whales become sexually mature at around nine years of age.
• The peak of the breeding and calving season occurs in autumn, and females give birth to a single calf every two to three years.
• Pregnancy lasts 10 to 12 months, and calves nurse for about 12 months.

THREATS

• VESSEL STRIKES : Accidental vessel strikes can injure or kill Bryde’s whales.

• OCEAN NOISE : Low-frequency underwater noise pollution can interrupt Bryde’s whales’ normal behavior by hindering their ability to use sound.

• WHALING  ACTIVITIES : Whalers have recently hunted Bryde’s whales off the coasts of Indonesia and the Philippines.