During the summer months it is not unusual to spot the finback whale, also known as the common rorqual whale, from different points along the Costa Blanca as it makes its way from the Ligurian Sea to the Strait of Gibraltar. Only this July one of these finback whales was seen from the San Antonio cape, just off the coast of Jávea, Alicante, as it passed by with a school of striped dolphins. This particular approach in the waters of the cape, which are very deep making the whales feel safer, could be due to ocean currents or a slight diversion as a result of marine traffic.
The common rorqual is the second largest species of cetacean after the blue whale, and can be found in all the world’s main oceans. These long-living whales can weigh up to 70 tonnes and measure as long as 20m, although some specimens recorded reached 27m. The finback whale feeds on krill, small fish and crustaceans, by opening its jaw and swallowing with it a colossal 70m3 of water, and can eat as much as 1,800kg per day. The common rorqual is currently classified as an endangered species.
