Active, highly manoeuvrable whales which can swim at 12 knots for at least short bursts and may dive to at least 140 metres. Most sightings are of a single or pair of animals, but groups of up to 25 whales may occur around a boat during a single encounter. Regularly approach anchored or drifting vessels and may remain with the vessel and swimmers for several hours. They usually surface once for a breath and dive for periods from half a minute to nearly twelve minutes. The low frequency sounds can travel great distances underwater and may allow scattered groups of whales to maintain contact over kilometres or tens of kilometres.
Japan wishes to resume hunting the larger Antarctic minke whale in the southern oceans.
If such whaling were to resume it is possible that dwarf minke whales would also be taken.