Blue Whales

 By

 Nisa Zamora

What are whales? Whales are mammals that live in water and breathe air. Large whales can stay under the surface of the sea for about one hour, before needing to swim to the exterior for air. Whale’s skeletons have adapted to marine life, therefore they would die trying to survive as a land mammal.

Are there different categories of whale? Whales are divided into two obvious groups; Baleen (whalebone) or toothless whales. There only a small group of the largest whales those Baleen whales. The other group of whales is called Toothed Whales including dolphins and porpoises.   

Are Blue Whales Baleen or Toothed whales? Blue Whales are Baleen whales. Baleen Whales are huge with blow-holes. They have numerous rows of baleen (whalebone) dangling form their upper jaw, instead of teeth. The baleen captures millions of minuscule marine animals for food.           

How large are they? Where do they live? Blue Whales are the largest known whale. They live in the cooler Pacific and Atlantic waters. Blue whales are about 80 to

100ft and weigh up to 115 tons.

How much can they consume? Blue Whales can eat up to 8 tons of tiny sea food

everyday during the whale feeding period.

How loud are whales? The loudest sound ever recorded from any animal came from a Blue whale. Many scientists have argued that they are able to remain in touch with each other for hundreds of miles.           

How long does it take to produce new whale young? Blue whales have extremely low reproductive rates. Females only have one calf every 2-4 years. Being that whales have increasingly small population and small reproductive rates, even in exceptional conditions, it would take over one hundred years for the Blue whales to recover!  

References

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/fishfaq9.html                                                                                   

Mammals-A guide to familiar American species  

by Herbert S. Zim, PH. D.  &  Donald F. Hoffmeister, PH. D

Illustrated by                                                                                                       

James Gordon Irving