Blue Whales are magnificent creatures. One of the very best places to view them is on a boat from Southern California. Whale watching trips go out regularly from San Diego, Los Angeles, Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara.
The Blue Whale is the largest animal to ever live on earth " far larger than the largest dinosaurs, and weighing up to 190 tons, heavier than a DC-10 airliner. For sake of comparison, the largest elephants barely reach 6 tons. Blue Whales have been measured scientifically at 98 feet, and thought to reach more than 110 feet, while the longest dinosaur skeleton measures under 90 feet from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail.
There are many myths about these creatures, one is that the heartbeat can be heard for 20 miles which is ridiculous because nobody can even hear a Blue Whale heartbeat from ten feet away.
A fun fact is that the tiniest seabird in the world, a Cassins Auklet has the same diet as the the largest animal in the world. Both eat the same food: a tiny shrimp-like crustacean called krill. Blue Whales have a series of rods and plates called baleen (in place of teeth). Instead of chewing their food they strain krill from the water and swallow them whole - more than three tons every day.
Blue Whales sometimes cross-breed with Fin Whales which are the second largest animals on earth. At least four of these unique hybrid whales exhibiting characteristics of each parent have been documented by scientists by analyzing DNA.
Blue Whales are often found alone or with one other Blue Whale. We do not know for sure how long Blue Whale pairs might stay together because it is so difficult to track them as they cross entire oceans. Blue Whales can rarely be found in groups 45 whales if there is a lot of food (krill) in the area - however this is very rare because they do not usually form large pods like some other species of whales.
Blue Whales usually travel at 10 - 12 miles per hour, however, when they are alarmed they are capable to moving faster than 30 miles per hour!
Blue Whales are known to inhabit oceans all over the world. They are especially attracted to Pacific Ocean waters off California and Mexico which can host up to 30% of the worlds entire population during the warmer spring and summer months due to the excellent supply of food.
Blue Whales are found all over the world in both cold and warm waters. Its not known for certain where they breed and give birth, but is suspected to be in warmer waters. Feeding has been documented in temperate, tropical and polar waters.
Prior to the 20th Century there were hundreds of thousands of Blue Whales quietly living in seas throughout the earth. However, humans invented weapons to kill these magnificent creatures (exploding bombs and harpoons) then went about systematically destroying every Blue Whale they could find, hunting them mercilessly for nearly forty years until they were nearly extinct. Protection began in 1966 and their population only today slowly recovering with still only 4,000 - 7,000 Blue Whales alive as you read this.
The Blue Whale is the largest animal to ever live on earth " far larger than the largest dinosaurs, and weighing up to 190 tons, heavier than a DC-10 airliner. For sake of comparison, the largest elephants barely reach 6 tons. Blue Whales have been measured scientifically at 98 feet, and thought to reach more than 110 feet, while the longest dinosaur skeleton measures under 90 feet from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail.
There are many myths about these creatures, one is that the heartbeat can be heard for 20 miles which is ridiculous because nobody can even hear a Blue Whale heartbeat from ten feet away.
A fun fact is that the tiniest seabird in the world, a Cassins Auklet has the same diet as the the largest animal in the world. Both eat the same food: a tiny shrimp-like crustacean called krill. Blue Whales have a series of rods and plates called baleen (in place of teeth). Instead of chewing their food they strain krill from the water and swallow them whole - more than three tons every day.
Blue Whales sometimes cross-breed with Fin Whales which are the second largest animals on earth. At least four of these unique hybrid whales exhibiting characteristics of each parent have been documented by scientists by analyzing DNA.
Blue Whales are often found alone or with one other Blue Whale. We do not know for sure how long Blue Whale pairs might stay together because it is so difficult to track them as they cross entire oceans. Blue Whales can rarely be found in groups 45 whales if there is a lot of food (krill) in the area - however this is very rare because they do not usually form large pods like some other species of whales.
Blue Whales usually travel at 10 - 12 miles per hour, however, when they are alarmed they are capable to moving faster than 30 miles per hour!
Blue Whales are known to inhabit oceans all over the world. They are especially attracted to Pacific Ocean waters off California and Mexico which can host up to 30% of the worlds entire population during the warmer spring and summer months due to the excellent supply of food.
Blue Whales are found all over the world in both cold and warm waters. Its not known for certain where they breed and give birth, but is suspected to be in warmer waters. Feeding has been documented in temperate, tropical and polar waters.
Prior to the 20th Century there were hundreds of thousands of Blue Whales quietly living in seas throughout the earth. However, humans invented weapons to kill these magnificent creatures (exploding bombs and harpoons) then went about systematically destroying every Blue Whale they could find, hunting them mercilessly for nearly forty years until they were nearly extinct. Protection began in 1966 and their population only today slowly recovering with still only 4,000 - 7,000 Blue Whales alive as you read this.
About the Author:
Terry Hunefeld retired as a CEO in 2007 to follow his bliss of sailing the ocean to observe birds and marine mammals. He and his wife Ann own the beautiful Inn at Moonlight Beach on the Pacific Ocean of San Diego. If you are looking for a Del Mar Bed and Breakfast or a Bed and Breakfast in Carlsbad, be sure to check out Inn at Moonlight Beach.
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