 Name : Blue Whale
Scientific Name : Balaenoptera musculus
Class : Mammalia
Family : Balaenopteridae
Order : Cetacea (suborder) - Mysticeti
Shape : Enormous size. Streamlined body and a long, thin head and chest; about 40 throat grooves; long ridge from just behind snout to the blowhole. Extremely thick tail stock.
Fins : Very small, curved caudal fin, and long, slim pectoral fins, relatively small flukes.
Length : Adult's length between 24 - 27 metres. Calf measures about 7 metres. Females are larger than males.
Weight : Weighs about 110 tons and a calf 2,5 tons. It may drink as much as 400 litres of milk a day, gaining 90 kg per day.
Colour : The body is blue to grey and is often blotchy.
Diet : Up to 4 tons krill per day.
Population : The Blue Whale was hunted close to extinction by the whaling industry; the mortality rates were so high that some populations may never recover.
Migration : Migrates to the cold Antarctic to feed in summer and returns to warmer waters to calve in winter.
Habits : Dives to depths of up to 150 m, but can go deeper. In some areas feeding seems to take place during the evening and early morning. Group size between 1 - 5.
Distribution : Found in all oceans of the world, but is seldom seen. Mainly found along edge of the continental shelf. |
