Bryde's Whale

Bryde's whale, or the Bryde's whale complex, putatively comprises three, and possibly four, species of rorqual, and its classification is unclear because of a lack of research. The largest measured was a 14.95 m female, and the longest recorded for each sex reached 14.5–15.5 m; the coastal form near Japan is smaller. The Sittang whale, or Eden's whale, is a smaller form that is dealt with separately on this site (Wikipedia, general species account).

It occurs throughout the Indian Ocean north of about 35°S. It usually appears alone or in pairs, occasionally in loose groups of up to 20 around feeding areas. It feeds on a wide variety of fish, planktonic crustaceans and cephalopods, with the prey differing by place and season. In the Pacific and northern Indian Ocean it has been seen using tread-water or trap feeding. It sometimes makes short, powerful, low-frequency calls that resemble a human moan (Wikipedia, general species account).