Wikipedia “Blue Whale”
What is a Blue Whale?
The Blue Whale is the largest animal known to man! They belong to the Baleen Whale Suborder Mysticeti. Balaenoptera musculus is their scientific name. There are currently five subspecies of the Blue Whale! Unfortunately, these amazing creatures are listed under the Endangered Species list because of all of the hunting they encounter.
What do Blue Whales eat?
Blue Whales are carnivores which means they only eat meat. Even though these animals are HUGE they have a very specific diet, which is krill and tiny shrimp-like animals! When Blue Whales hunt for food they swim towards the schools of krill. They keep their mouth open and all the krill end up in their mouth, once the school of krill is in their mouths the Blue Whales push the trapped water out of their mouths with their tongues and then swallow the krill's whole (like most animals they don't chew their food). The Blue Whales stomach can hold one ton (2,000 lbs) of krill and it needs to eat about four tons (8,000 pounds) of krill each day.
Smart News “Jaw-Dropping Video Shows Blue Whale Chowing Down on Krill”
How do Blue Whales behave?
Unlike other animals, Blue Whales are usually found alone. They typically swim at about 5 miles an hour while they are feeding and traveling. But if they wanted to, they could swim more than 20 miles an hour. If you were wondering what the loudest animal in the world is, it is the Blue Whale! They are louder than a jet engine. They have a series of pulses and groans, and these sounds can be heard by other whales from up to 1,000 miles away. This means their calls can reach 188 decibels while Jet Engines can only reach 140 decibels. Scientists believe that these noises are used to communicate and to navigate the dark ocean depths.
WWF “Facts”
Where do Blue Whales live?
Blue Whales are found everywhere except for the Arctic. Blue Whales in the North Atlantic Ocean can migrate to the subtropics and the Greenland Sea. Blue Whales along the West Coast of the United States spend most of their winters in Mexico and Central America. In the summer they feed off of the U.S West Coast. Blue Whales that have their young calves are usually found in the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) from December through March. The Northern Indian Ocean is where you can find the most Blue Whales. Places such as the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and across the Bay of Bengal. A very interesting fact is that an unnamed subspecies of Blue Whale are found in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean!
The Atlantic “Is the World’s Largest Animal Too Reliant on the Past”
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/02/blue-whale-migrations-depend-on-memories/583543/
What are the characteristics of a Blue Whale?
Blue Whales weigh as much as 200 tons (400,000 lbs), also known as 33 elephants! The Blue Whale has a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. Even though they weigh a lot they have a slender shape. Their blue-gray skin appears light blue underwater (that's why they are called blue whales). The Antarctic Blue Whale is the largest Blue Whale subspecies. Furthermore, Blue Whales can grow up to 90 feet but the Antarctic Blue Whale can grow up to 110 feet. Like most other baleen whales females are larger than males. They have a lifespan of 80 to 90 years.
BBC “Anatomy Of A Blue Whale”
What do the Blue Whales Offspring act and look like?
Blue Whales are pregnant from about 10 to 12 months. The offspring usually stop breastfeeding when they are around 6 to 7 months. The age they can start breeding is around 5 to 15 years old. Mating and births happen during the winter months. When the offspring is born they reach 23 feet and can weigh 5,000-6,000 pounds!
Youtube “First Ever Forrale of Blue Whale Calf Nursing”
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