"Sei whale" is an anglicization of the Norwegian sejhval, meaning "pollock whale". The species was so called because it "appeared off the coast of Norway at the same … See more

The sei whale's body is typically a dark steel grey with irregular light grey to white markings on the ventral surface, or towards the front of the lower body. The whale has a … See more

Sei whales live in all oceans, although rarely in polar or tropical waters. The difficulty of differentiating them at sea from their close relatives, … See more

The sei whale is listed by the IUCN Red List as endangered, and with an increasing population trend, as of 2018. The sei whale did not have … See more

On 21 February 1819, Swedish-born German naturalist Karl Rudolphi initially identified a 9.8 m (32 ft) whale stranded near See more

Surface behaviours
Very little is known about the sei whale social structure. They have been documented traveling alone or in pods of up to six individuals; larger groups may assemble at particularly abundant feeding grounds. During the … See more

The development of explosive harpoons and steam-powered whaling ships in the late nineteenth century brought previously unobtainable large whales within the reach of commercial See more