The blue whale is one of the most fascinating creatures of the animal kingdom. It’s the largest animal on the planet. They are even larger than the dinosaurs!
Scientists believe that it is the largest animal to have ever lived on Earth. If you are looking to learn some interesting about this magnificent sea giant, then keep reading!
Conservation Status: Endangered
Scientific Name: Balaenoptera musculus
Population: 10,000 to 25,000
Length: 75 to 100 feet (23 to 30 m)
Life Span: 80 to 90 years
1. Blue Whale Size
Whenever someone hears that the blue whale is the largest animal on Earth, the first question that crosses their mind is how long is a blue whale or how big is a blue whale?
The blue whale has a length from 75 to 100 feet (23 to 30 m). A male is generally 78 feet (24 meters) long, whereas, a female’s length starts from 75 feet (23 m).
The longest blue whale ever measured was a female one at a South Georgia whaling station in the South Atlantic. She was 110 feet and 17 inches long, which is approximately 33.58 meters.
2. They are Equivalent to 30 Elephants in Weight
A blue whale weighs somewhere between 100 to 200 tons (220,000 to 440,000 pounds). When compared to adult African bush elephants, it was found that each one of these giant creatures is equivalent to 30 of them (an adult African bush elephant is around 6 tons).
3. Blue Whales have the Largest Heart in the Animal Kingdom
Blue whales have the largest heart in the animal kingdom, which weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg) and is the approximate size of an average dairy cow.
A blue whale’s heart doesn’t beat frequently. Studies have shown that it only beats twice when this marvelous creature is diving to feed.
4. Blue Whales have Massive Tongues
In addition to their massive size and hearts, blue whales have gigantic tongues.
On average, a blue whale’s tongue is 8 feet (2.5 m) long and weighs around 8,000 pounds (3600 kg), the average size of an adult African elephant.
When a blue whale opens its mouth to feed, another blue whale may comfortably swim inside it, that’s how wide its mouth opens.
5. Biggest Babies in the World
Blue whales have the biggest babies with one of the fastest growth rates in the animal kingdom.
A blue whale’s baby at the time of its birth is up to 25 feet (8 m) long and weighs around 16,000 pounds (3 tons).
A blue whale’s calf grows at a rate of 200 pounds (90 kg) per day.
6. Blue Whales are Loud Animals
The blue whale is the loudest animal in the animal kingdom. Its voice or call (up to 188 decibels) is louder than that of a jet engine (140 decibels). You can hear a blue whale calling from up to 1,000 miles or 1,600 km.
The blue whale’s call or voice has a frequency of 15 to 40 Hertz, which, at times, is out of the range of human hearing.
7. Their Favourite Food is Krill
A blue whale feeds on krill. It eats 2,200 pounds or 1,000 kg of these tiny creatures at once. Their daily intake of krills is up to 9,000 pounds (4,000 kg).
During the summer feeding season, a blue whale eats 40 million krill every day.
8. They are Fast Swimmers
Given their massive size, many people assume that it would be difficult for them to swim from one side of the ocean to the other. On the contrary, blue whales are pretty fast.
A blue whale spends most of its summer in the polar regions, feeding on krills. They head to the equator and travel around it when the winter strives and the area becomes frozen.
A blue whale’s average speed is 5 miles (8 km) per hour. It can accelerate up to 20 miles (30 km) for short sprints.
9. They Live Long
Blue whales are amongst the longest living things on the planet. Their age counting process is similar to that of trees. Scientists decipher their age by counting the layers of wax in their ears. Gross and fascinating at once!
The longest living blue whale died at the age of 110 years. Their average life is between 80 to 90 years.
10. Blue Whales are Endangered
Blue whales are declared endangered under the Endangered Species Act and safeguarded under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The blue whale’s population was massively hit by commercial whaling activities during the 20th century. Statistics show that over 350,000 blue whales were killed between 1904 and 1967. 1931 was specifically tragic for this magnificent creature’s population, as over 29,000 whales were killed in the southern hemisphere alone.
Given the deteriorating numbers of the blue whale population, it was put under worldwide protection in 1967.
Currently, even though commercial whaling has dropped significantly, other threats, such as climate change and ship strikes, have made recovery difficult for the blue whales. Their population stands somewhere between 10,000 and 25,000 with a community of 2,000 of them off the coast of California.
If you want to learn more about the most endangered animals on Earth, then head over to ‘The 5 Most Endangered Animals in 2022‘.
We hope you are as astonished by these blue whale facts as we were when we first read them. However, we are deeply saddened by the current population and conservation status of these magnificent creatures. If you are looking to make a difference then head over to WDC to show your support!