Animals
Balaenoptera borealis
Sei Whale
EN
Endangered
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
ver 3.1, 2018
Taxonomy
-
Kingdom
-
Phylum
-
Class
-
Order
-
Family
-
Genus
-
Specific Epithetborealis Lesson, 1828
-
Common Name
- Coalfish Whale (English)
- Sei Whale (English)
The taxonomic status is pending for approval
Description
The Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis) has a typical length of about 12-14m, with a maximum recorded length up to 21m. Normally, the female is larger than the male. It is identified by its uniform dark grey body with ovoid white scars and a whitish belly. The dorsal fin usually visible simultaneously with the blow. This Sei Whale is very similar to the Fin Whale (B. physalus) and Bryde's Whale (B. edeni). However, the Fin Whale has a more shallow dorsal fin visible just after the blow and asymmetric white lower lips, while the Bryde's Whale has three ridges at the top of the head (Francis, 2010).
It occurs in a small group, often feeds near the surface, eating the krill, squid and small fish. It occurs worldwide, mainly in temperate and subtropical waters. In Malaysia, there is one specimen being found stranded at Pusa, S. Saribas in Sarawak (Payne & Francis, 2007). It is accessed as Endangered and the Sei Whales' major threats are caused by whaling in the late 1950s to the mid-1970s (IUCN, 2018).
Assessment
| Year Published | Assessment | Red List Category | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Endangered (EN)
|
3.1 |
| 2008 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Endangered (EN)
|
3.1 |
| 1996 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Endangered (EN)
|
N/A |
| 1994 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Vulnerable (VU)
|
N/A |
Biodiversity Experts
| Profile | |
|---|---|
|
Amal Ghazali Nasron (Mr.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Mammals, Insects,
Biodiversity, Conservation & Forest
|
|
Amy Then Yee Hui (Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
|
Fishes (Ecology), Seahorses (Ecology), Mammals (Ecology),
Protected Areas & Marine & Coastal
|
|
Andrew Alek Tuen (Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
|
Mammals, Birds,
Protected Areas
|
|
Badrul Munir Md Zain (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Mammals (Taxonomy),
|
|
Chong Ju Lian (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
|
Mammals (Ecology), Vascular (Ecology),
Invasive Alien Species, Protected Areas, Digital Sequence Information (DSI), Marine & Coastal & Climate Change
|
|
David Magintan (Dr.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Mammals, Elephants,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, Protected Areas, Biological Resource & Ecology
|
|
Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
|
Mammals, Bats,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Data Analysis, Evolution, Forest & Molecular
|
|
Farah Shafawati Mohd Taib (Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Birds, Mammals, Rodents, Treeshrews, Squirrels,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Data Analysis, Ecosystems & Taxonomy
|
|
Jayaraj Vijaya Kumaran (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)
|
Mammals,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Genetics & Digital Sequence Information (DSI)
|
|
Jeffrine Rovie Ryan Japning (Mr.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Monkeys, Fishes, Mammals,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Data Analysis, Evolution, Genetics, Molecular, Protected Areas, Science & Technology
|
|
Kayal Vizi Karuppannan (Mrs.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Elephants, Fishes, Mammals,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Evolution, Genetics, Molecular, Protected Areas & Digital Sequence Information (DSI)
|
|
Midhat Nabil Ahmad Salimi (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)
|
Mammals,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Data Analysis, Ecosystems, Education, Environment, Genetics, History, Management, Medical, Molecular, Science, Technology, Water, Digital Sequence Information (DSI), Living Modified Organism (LMO), Synthetic Biology, Protected Areas, Marine & Coastal & Invasive Alien Species
|
|
Mohammad Shahfiz Azman (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Amphibians, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles,
Awareness, Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems, Environment, Forest, Landscape, Law and Policy, Management, Protected Areas, Science, Systematics, Invasive Alien Species, Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC), National Policy on Biological Diversity, Policy, Research and Development (R&D) & Zoonotic
|
|
Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah (Prof. Dato' Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
|
Mammals,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems, Evolution, Genetics & Protected Areas
|
|
Nasharuddin Bin Othman (Mr.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Mammals (Ecology),
Conservation, Management & Protected Areas
|
|
Rahimatsah Amat (Dr.)
Sabah Environmental Trust (SET)
|
Mammals (Ecology),
Environment, Management & Protected Areas
|
|
Rahmat Topani (Mr.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Mammals (Ecology),
Conservation, Protected Areas & Marine & Coastal
|
|
Rosli Hashim (Prof. Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
|
Birds (Ecology), Mammals (Ecology), Spiders, Insects,
Biodiversity & Protected Areas
|
|
Rosli Ramli (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
|
Mammals (Ecology), Birds,
Biodiversity, Digital Sequence Information (DSI), Protected Areas & Marine & Coastal
|
|
Saifullah A. Jaaman @ Sharman (Assoc. Prof.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
|
Mammals,
Biodiversity, Conservation & Marine & Coastal
|
|
Tan Cheng Cheng (Ms.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Mammals (Ecology),
Protected Areas, Biodiversity & Conservation
|
|
Tan Poai Ean (Ms.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Bats, Mammals, Rodents,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems & Management
|
PM - Peninsular Malaysia; SBH - Sabah; SWK - Sarawak; SEA - Southeast Asia; W - World;
References
Book
- Malaysian Naturalist, Volume 74, Issue/No. 4, 2021. Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. pp. 311.
- Kamarruddin, I., Mohamed, C.A.R., Kee Alfian, B.A.A., Fitra, A.Z., Lee, J.N. & Rozaimi, M.J. (2011). Malaysia's Marine Biodiversity: Inventory and Current Status. Department of Marine Park Malaysia and Marine Ecosystem Research Centre (EKOMAR), Malaysia. pp. 212.
- Payne, J. & Francis, C.M. (1985). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo. The Sabah Society, Malaysia. pp. 326.
- Phillipps, Q. & Phillipps, K. (2016). Phillipps’ Guide to the Mammals of Borneo and their Ecology: Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. pp. 400.
Legislation
Acknowledgements :- Ms. Aida Salihah Binti Abu Bakar, Ms. Amirah Hasanah Binti Mazlan, Mrs. Aziemah Binti Kinan, Ms. Noor Amira Aini Binti Noor Anwar, Mr. Tan Kok Kiat & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin
Species Citation :- Balaenoptera borealis. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Accessed via https://www.mybis.gov.my/sp/47509. [Retrieved 02 December 2023].
Feedback :- If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please provide us with feedback.
