Description
Bryde's Whales are moderately-sized rorquals, falling behind sei whales but being larger than the relatively small minke whales. The largest measured by Olsen (1913) was a 14.95 m (49 ft) female caught off Durban in November 1912, while the longest of each sex measured by Best (1977) at the Donkergat whaling station in Saldanha Bay, South Africa, were a 15.51 m (50.9 ft) female caught in October 1962 and a 14.56 m (47.8 ft) male caught in April 1963 – both were the offshore form. At physical maturity, the coastal form off South Africa averages 13.1 m (43 ft) for males and 13.7 m (45 ft) for females, while the South Africa offshore form averages 13.7 m (45 ft) and 14.4 m (47.2 ft). The coastal form off Japan is slightly smaller, with adult males averaging 12.9 m (42.3 ft) and adult females 13.3 m (43.6 ft). At sexual maturity, males average 11.9 m (39 ft) and females 12 m (39.3 ft) off Japan. Sexual maturity is reached at 8–11 years for both sexes in the offshore form off South Africa. At birth, they are 3.95-4.15 m (13-13.5 ft). The body mass of Bryde's whales can range from 12 to 25 metric tons (13 to 28 short tons).
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