Abstract The Blue whale, the largest creature in the sea and known to be the largest creature to man, is a mammal. Despite residing in the sea, Blue whales rely on air for survival as they breathe oxygen from the atmosphere. Additionally, they give birth to live young and have a lifespan that spans from 30 to 70 years.
The Blue whale, known scientifically as Balsenoptera musculus, is a type of baleen whale that does not have teeth. Instead, it has around 300-400 baleen plates in its mouth. It belongs to the rorqual category and is the largest species within the baleen family. It is also referred to as Balaenoptera intermedia, Balaenoptera brevicauds, and Sibbald’s Rorqual. These whales are commonly called gulpers and have blowholes and blubber. They primarily eat krill, copepods, and other forms of plankton for their diet. Unfortunately, Blue whales are currently endangered due to threats from orcas. Whales can be divided into two groups: baleen whales and toothed whales.
The blue whale, the largest baleen whale and the largest creature to ever exist on Earth, surpasses even the size of the largest dinosaurs. It has baleen made of keratin, which is also found in our fingernails. The baleen functions as rows of hair-like fibers that aid in filtering plankton from the water. Furthermore, these whales reside in pods and possess two blowholes.
The Blue whale, known scientifically as Balaenoptera musculus, is a baleen whale belonging to the Suborder Mysticeti. This species of marine mammal is one among 76 different species. One distinguishing feature of the Blue whale is its thick layer of blubber, measuring 2-14 inches (5-30cm). Additionally, it is referred to as a “rorqual” which originates from the Norwegian word “furrow,” depicting the pleated grooves that extend from its chin to its naval.
According to Small (1971), the Blue whale possesses pleated throat grooves that can expand and hold over 1,000 tons of food and water while engaging in filter feeding. These grooves enable the whale’s throat to stretch and adjust to the significant intake of water. On average, Blue whales measure approximately 80 feet (25m) in length and weigh around 120 tons. In comparison to male counterparts, females tend to be larger among baleen whales.
Satchell (1998) mentions that the biggest Blue whale ever found was 94 feet long (29m) and weighed over 174 tons. The head of the Blue whale is around 25% of its total length and is significantly wider compared to other rorquals. Additionally, a Blue whale’s heart is similar in size to a small car and has the capacity to circulate approximately 10 tons of blood within its body.
Blue whales have a small, sickle-shaped dorsal fin near their tail. They also have long and thin flippers that are 8 feet (2.4m) long. In contrast, their flukes are 25 feet (7.6m) wide.
The blue whale, also known as Sibbald’s Rorqual and Great Northern Rorqual, has a blue-gray coloration with white-gray spots. Additionally, its underbelly is decorated with brown, yellow, or gray specks. During winter in colder waters, diatoms stick to the underbelly causing it to have a shiny appearance that can range from yellow to silver to sulfur-colored. This distinct characteristic has earned the blue whale the nickname “sulfur bottoms.”
Blue whales, along with all baleen whales, are carnivorous seasonal feeders. They engage in filter feeding, consuming tiny crustaceans (such as krill and copepods), plankton, and small fish directly from the water. It is astounding to consider that the largest creatures on Earth rely on the tiniest forms of marine life for sustenance. These magnificent animals are gulpers, using their filter feeding mechanisms to both swim and engulf mouthfuls of plankton or fish.
According to Hasley (1984), the summer feeding season for a blue whale in cold, arctic waters lasts 120 days. During this time, a typical blue whale consumes 2,000-9,000 pounds (900-4100kg) of plankton per day. The blue whale has twin blowholes with large splashguards at the front and sides. Its jaws contain about 320 pairs of black baleen plates that have dark gray bristles. These plates are approximately 35-39 inches (90cm-1m) long, 21 inches (53cm) wide, and weigh 200 pounds (90kg).
The blue whale, the largest rorqual species, is not the largest whale in general. It possesses a tongue that weighs 4 tons. These whales typically live alone or in small groups and are often observed swimming in pairs.
When a whale emerges from the water’s surface, it takes in a substantial amount of air before diving to a depth of 350 feet (105m). Diving is how whales primarily hunt for their food. Whales can stay submerged for up to two hours without needing to resurface for more air.
According to Hasley (1984), blue whales possess two blowholes positioned near the top of their head, enabling them to inhale air at the water’s surface. While resting, they typically breathe 1-4 times per minute. Nonetheless, their breathing rate escalates to 5-12 times per minute after a deep dive.
When blue whales exhale, their breath forms a solitary stream that can tower up to heights of 40-50 feet (12-15m) above the water.
In terms of speed, blue whales are recognized for their swiftness in swimming as they generally maintain a pace ranging from 3-20 mph. However, when faced with danger, they have been observed reaching remarkable speeds as fast as 24-30 mph.
Feeding speeds of blue whales typically range from 1-4mph. These gigantic creatures produce extremely loud and intricate low-frequency sounds, which can travel long distances underwater. In fact, they are considered to be the loudest living animals, even surpassing the volume of a jet engine. These songs serve various purposes, such as locating sizable aggregations of their primary food source, krill, and communicating with fellow blue whales.
Blue whales, which can be found in all the oceans of the world, typically reside in the open ocean and live at the surface. The balaenoptera musculus subspecies is prevalent in the Southern Hemisphere.
The balaenoptera brevicauda, also known as the Northern Hemisphere Blue whales, inhabit smaller populations in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. These whales undertake long migrations between low latitude winter mating grounds and high latitude summer feeding grounds. It is common to spot them in regions such as California, Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), and Gulf of St.
Blue whale breeding occurs mainly during winter to early spring in Lawrence, Canada and the northern Indian Ocean. According to Hasley (1984), the gestation period is about 11-12 months, and the calf usually emerges tail first, a common behavior among cetaceans, in warm, shallow waters near the surface. Within 10 seconds of being born, the newborn instinctively rises to the surface for its first breath with help from its mother’s flippers.
Within 30 minutes of being born, the baby whale can swim. It measures approximately 25 feet (7.6m) in length and weighs between 6-8 tons. Twins are rare, happening only about 1% of the time during births.
The baby blue whale depends on its mother’s milk for nourishment, which contains a high amount of fat (approximately 40-50%). The weaning period typically lasts for about 7-8 months. Throughout this time, the calf can consume up to 50 gallons of its mother’s milk daily and gain as much as 9 pounds per hour or 200 pounds each day. The connection between the mother and calf may continue for over a year until the calf grows to around 45 feet (13m) in length. Blue whales reach maturity at around 10 to 15 years old.
Blue whales typically have a lifespan of 35-40 years, although various factors can impact their longevity. One such factor is the predation by killer whales (orcas), which have been observed hunting and killing young blue whales and calves. Furthermore, human activities also posed a threat to blue whale populations until the International Whaling Commission designated them as a protected species in 1966 due to significant population decline.
The Blue whale was once too fast and strong for 19th century whalers to catch, but it became a prized target after harpoon canons were introduced. These whales were previously hunted for their baleen, which was used in the production of brushes and corsets. However, it is their immense size and plentiful oil that made them the preferred option for contemporary commercial whaling. Prior to human intervention, the world’s oceans contained a population of 228,000 Blue whales.
Satchell (1998) stated that Blue whales in the Southern Hemisphere experienced a notable decrease in population due to hunting by whalers from 1904 to 1978. Illegal hunting was widespread during this time, and pollution has also contributed to the decline of Blue whales as they frequently become sick when exposed to pollutants.
The global population of blue whales is estimated to be between 10,000 and 14,000. These awe-inspiring animals are classified as endangered and have been safeguarded by international law since 1967. On June 2, 1970, the blue whale was officially recognized as endangered in all its habitats, as stated in Section 7 of the Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969.
It is vital to protect blue whales and refrain from targeting them for any reason in order to support their population recovery. We must respect their delicate ecological equilibrium by avoiding hunting or causing harm. Whales and dolphins are frequently seen as mysterious and awe-inspiring beings, with some perceiving the sighting of a dead whale as a sign, either positive or negative.
It is believed by many that humans have a responsibility to protect whales, the magnificent creatures of the sea. Preserving these great water giants is crucial (Berger, C. 1998 Making Sense of the Songs Whales Sing).
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A group of animal-rights activists aim to prevent an Indian tribe from acquiring whale blubber in a significant protest. This article is published in the US News and World Review, Volume 125, Number 13, written by Small, G.
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