Mysticeti Diving Capacity — Maximum Depth (meters)

Baleen Whale Weight Comparison | OnTales Madeira

Unlike Odontoceti, Mysticeti are not extreme deep divers. The humpback whale leads at 600 metres, followed by the blue whale at 500 metres and the fin whale at 470 metres. The North Atlantic right whale has the shallowest diving capacity (150 metres), feeding primarily on surface copepods in shallow waters. Compared to beaked Odontoceti whales that exceed 3,000 metres, Mysticeti dive to considerably more modest depths.

Chart data (Maximum depth in meters):

SpeciesMax. Depth
Humpback whale600 m
Blue whale500 m
Fin whale470 m
Sei whale300 m
Bryde’s whale300 m
Minke whale200 m
N. Atlantic right whale150 m


References (with links)