Minke Whale (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

The minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) belongs to the same genus as the world’s largest animal, the blue whale, but at 26-33’ (8-10.2 meters) is only a fraction of its giant cousin’s size. Indeed, the minke whale is the world’s smallest species of rorqual and the second smallest species of baleen whale (the pygmy right whale is the smallest). New for 2022 Safari Ltd. has released the blue whales miniature doppelganger. It’s a welcome addition to their cetacean lineup and the subject of today’s review.

The Safari minke whale represents the northern sub-species of the common minke whale (B. a. acutorostrata). CollectA also makes a minke whale but that one represents the dwarf minke whale so both should pair together well on your shelf. The figure measures 7” (17.78 cm) in length which puts it at 1/44 in scale for a 26’ individual or 1/55 in scale for a 33’ individual. Female minke whales tend to be slightly larger than males.

The Safari minke whale is a beautifully elegant figure that faithfully reproduces the basic anatomy of the species. The body is sleek with the falcate dorsal fin set about 2/3 down its length. The head is sharply pointed, V-shaped, and flat, save for a sharp ridge on the rostrum. The mouth is slightly open, revealing the meticulously sculpted baleen plates.

A few fine details that are often absent in whale figures are also missing here. There are no ear openings, and it also doesn’t have a naval, anus, or genital slit on the underside. The ventral throat grooves terminate just past the flippers where the naval would be and this is accurate. There are 24 throat grooves sculpted on the figure where there would be 50-70 in life but that’s just a fun observation and not a criticism. Good luck sculpting that many grooves on a figure this small.

The body is predominately black with a clean white underside. Pale chevrons or “shoulder streaks” are present behind the head. White bands are painted on each flipper, and these can be used to identify this minke as a northern. A steel gray patch wraps up and over the rear portion of the figure with additional pale gray slashes near its boarder. The baleen plates are painted a creamy white and a thin pink gum line is present as well. The paint application here is nicely executed on my copy. The black eyes are painted with a glossy finish.

The common minke whale occurs around the North Atlantic and Pacific, from polar to tropical waters. Minke whales were once considered too small to bother hunting but in recent years have become a more popular target in the absence of larger whales. They’re still listed as being of Least Concern, however. Minke whales feed on a variety of small fishes including herring, capelin, cod, mackerel, and sand lance. In addition, they also feed on squid, krill, and zooplankton. In turn, minke whales are fed upon by killer whales.

I’m always excited for new cetacean toys and the Safari minke whale is one of their best cetaceans thus far. I look forward to seeing what other whales Safari may release in the future. Maybe a fin or Bryde’s whale? The Safari minke whale retails for $8.99 and will be available on Safari’s website soon.