BLUE WHALE is the largest animal found on
earth.it is also larger than dinosaurs which are the creatures that inhabited
the earth thousands of years ago
PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS:
Size:
The most distinguishing
feature of blue whale is its huge size. Adult blue whale’s size is as follows:
·
Length
is approximately 24 to 30 meters
·
Weight
is approximately 150 to 200 tons ( which is equal to 30 _33 elephants)
Weight of adult blue whale's tongue is equal to an elephant. This muscular
organ is approximately of 2.7 to
4 metric tons.
The weight of heart of blue whale is 400 to 900 kg
(180-400kg in some reports) which is comparable to a small car. Female blue
whales are generally larger than males.
Patterns
on body of of Blue Whales:
These natural wonders have bluish gray body with
lighter spots and patches that make each whale's pattern unique, almost like
a fingerprint. When we see them under water their skin appears bright
blue which is the reason why they are called blue whales.
 |
| Image of a Blue Whale under water. |
BLOWHOLE:
It is a very
distinctive feature of blue whales
When a blue whale comes to surface to breath, it releases a column of air and
water vapors from waterhole and this is called a blow.
Dorsal
fin and long flippers:
blue whales have their dorsal fin at the back of their body and log flippers
present on their body helps them to move smoothly in water
Habitat
and distribution:
Blue whales are found approximately in all oceans of world. They like
to live in deep shore but sometimes come closer to the coast in search of
abundant food. They are migratory animals. In winters they migrate to
warmer tropical and subtropical waters where they breed and give birth to their
off springs. In summers, they move to some colder areas like colder Polar
Regions where food for example krill is in plenty.
Different populations of blue whales inhabit different oceans which include
Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean.
Some of well know populations include:
•The Antarctic blue whale.
•North Atlantic blue whale
•North Pacific blue whale
Feeding
Habits:
They feed on
incredibly small creatures call Krill. A whale eats approximately 3 to 4 tons
of krill every day.
They feed through a feeding technique which is called "lunge feeding".
Lunge
feeding:
In first step of feeding, these creatures open their huge mouth and takes in
huge amount of water full of krill. Throat pleats present on the underside of
their body broadens to hold the water. After it the whale closes its
mouth and pushes water out through the baleen plates. These plates
behave like sieve; it traps the krill inside it while the water moves out.
After water is removed from body they swallow the krill. This productive
feature of feeding helps them to eat a large quantity of food in short time.
Consuming large amount of food is necessary for maintaining their huge body size.
Behavior and communication:
Blue whales usually do not form large social groups. They are observed in pairs
or small groups. Whales communicate by producing resonant calls. These calls
are are among the loudest sound produced by any animal on Earth .These resonant
calls are low frequency vocalizations which travel
hundreds to thousands of kilometers
in ocean. It is believed by scientists that these resonant calls are used by blue
whales for navigation, communication, and for attracting mates.
Swimming
behavior:
Blue whales are also very famous for their swimming pattern. They typically swim at a speed
of 5 to 12 miles per hours while feeding or traveling. When they are alarmed or
due to sudden burst they may accelerate to 20 to 30 miles per hour. But in
normal conditions they usually swim slowly to conserve energy.
Life Cycle:
They reproduce slowly as compared to other animals. The gestation period is 10 to 12 months. Usually
a single calf is given birth by female every 2 to 3 years.
At birth, a blue whale calf is enormous in
size as compared to the offspring of other animals. Its measurements recorded
are:
Ø
7
to 8 meters (around 25 feet) in length
Ø
Weight approximately 2 to 3 tons.
The calf
grows quickly by drinking its mother’s rich milk that consists of a very high
fat content. During the nursing period, calf can gain up to 90 kilograms (approx.200 pounds)
of weight / day.
The mother blue whale provides great care and protection to its calf and guides
him during its nursing period. Calves usually live under the protection and
guidance of their mother for six to seven months and then they become independent.
Maximum age of blue whales:
They live up to a long age of about 90 years
Blue whales and ecosystem maintenance:
Their waste products are a source of nutrients which helps the growth of
microscopic plants called phytoplankton. These tiny plants are the base of the
marine food chain and a large portion of the world’s oxygen is produced by them.
In this way, blue whales indirectly take part in the productivity and maintenance
of the balance of ocean ecosystems .Moreover when the blue whale dies ,its body
sinks and creates a whale fall, which
provides food and habitat for small creatures for many years.
Threats and Conservation:
Blue whales
are killed for:
·
Oil
·
Meat
·
Baleen
Some measures for conservation of
whales:
The hunting of whales was banned by
international whaling commission in 1966. Nowadays, they are considered endangered
but many populations have been recovered by some protection measures. The
threats faced by whales in these days include:
·
Ship
strikes
·
Ocean
noise pollution
·
Climate change
·
Increase
in fishing gear
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