Hobbies And Interests
Size and Movement
Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth. They measure up to 100 feet long and can weigh over 150 tons.This great size gives adult whales practical immunity from all the ocean's swimming predators. However, this size does not mean it is a slow creature. When disturbed, a blue whale can swim up to 30 mph. It can also dive to a depth of about 1,600 feet.
Breathing
Since the blue whale is a mammal and can't breathe underwater, it has adapted to surface whenever it needs oxygen. Unlike most mammals, it has a voluntary breathing system as opposed to an involuntary one. The blue whale chooses when and where to take each breath. When surfacing, it blows out water it has swallowed during underwater activities and expels carbon dioxide. Then the whale takes a new breath.
Diet
The blue whale feeds on krill, small shrimplike animals. Its feeding system enables it to consume up to 4 tons of food per day, a useful adaptation to provide the whale with enough nutrition to support its large size. According to the U.S. National Parks Conservation Association, "Blue whales have about 300 to 400 baleen plates instead of teeth which they use to strain food from the ocean water."
Communication
Blue whales have excellent communication abilities. According to the American Cetacean Society, "The blue whale makes deep and rumbling sounds which can be felt as much as heard. These low-frequency sounds travel long distances through water, allowing blue whales to communicate with each other over hundreds of miles of ocean."
Offspring
Blue whale offspring are carried in the womb for about a year, and once the mother gives birth, the calf already weighs up to 3 tons and measures up to 25 feet. This large size at birth gives the calves better odds of survival when confronted with ocean predators. The calves also grow quickly, gaining approximately 200 lbs. per day. Baby whales stay close to their mother until they are weaned when they reach about 50 feet in length.