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Table of Contents
The blue whale is the largest living animal known to have ever existed on Earth. It can grow up to 100 feet and weigh up to 200 tons. This mammal lives in the ocean and feeds on krill.
See the fact file below for more information on the blue whale. Alternatively, you can download our 24-page Blue Whale worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Blue Whale Facts
- The blue whale’s scientific name is Balaenoptera musculus.
- The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet and the largest animal to have ever existed.
- They are huge, growing up to 100 feet (30 mt) in length.Β
- Blue whales can weigh as much as 200 tons (approximately the same amount as 33 elephants).Β
- The blue whale has
- a heart the size of a golf cart
- a tongue that can weigh as much as an elephant
- a stomach that can hold a whole ton of krillΒ
- superb hearing
- Their calls can reach a very loud 188 decibels. In comparison, a jet reaches only 140 decibels.Β
Habitat and Diet
- Blue whales are found in all major oceans except for the Arctic Ocean. So they are found in the Atlantic, Antarctic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
- Most often, they swim alone or in pairs and very occasionally in small groups.
- Blue whales migrate between summer feeding areas near the poles and winter breeding grounds near the tropics.
- Blue whales eat about four tons of krill each day (krill are small crustaceans found in all the oceans).Β
- Blue whales are baleen whales and have no teeth. Baleen is a filter-feeding system inside the mouths of baleen whales.Β
- To use the baleen, the whale opens its mouth underwater to take in water. The whale then pushes the water out, and any animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and remain as food for the whale.
Description/Features
- The body of a blue whale is designed for long-distance swimming. It has:
- a flat headΒ
- long torpedo-shaped body
- triangular flukes (flukes are the two lobes of the whale tail)
- wide flippers.Β
- These features make them very streamlined for swimming through the vast oceans.Β
- A blue whale’s curved dorsal fin is found at the back of their bodies.
- They look light blue underwater but are grayish-blue on the surface of the ocean.Β
- They have yellowish undersides because of marine algae that stick to their skin.
- Blue whales breathe air and so have to go to the surface to breathe. They breathe in air through their blowholes.
- Blue whales hold their breaths in order to dive to deep levels to catch food.Β
- Because of its size, the blue whale doesn’t have many predators, but predators like killer whales and sharks occasionally attack young whales.Β
- Blue whales live long lives; in fact, they can live up to 100 years, making them one of the longest-lived animals.
- They swim at a rate of 3.1β18.6 mph (5 β 30 kph)
Threats
- Back in the 1900s, whales were killed for whale oil to be used in lamps, cosmetics, and soap.Β
- Their skin was used for leather, and occasionally, their meat was eaten too.Β
- This period was called the “whaling era,” and they were almost driven to extinction.
- From 1904 to 1967, an estimated 350,000 blue whales were killed in the Southern Hemisphere alone.Β
- The 1966 International Whaling Commission ultimately gave them protection, and to this day, it is illegal to hunt them for any reason.
- The World Conservation Union has listed them as an endangered species.Β
- The good news is that their population is steadily increasing, with their estimated population now sitting between 10,000 to 25,000.
- Climate change poses a threat to blue whales. Rising temperatures in Antarctica are affecting the population of algae in the area. The fewer the algae, the fewer the krill, which feeds on algae. Because blue whales feed on krill, their survival is at risk too.
- Other threats to blue whales include overfishing, pollution, and ocean noise. Overfishing issues include entanglement in fishing nets and equipment. The International Whaling Commission has stated that over 300,000 cetaceans (marine mammals, which includes whales) die each year because of overfishing.
- Because whales communicate by calling underwater, noise from shipping can make it difficult for adult whales to find each other for reproduction.
Life Span
- Blue whales normally live about 80 β 90 years of age.
- Scientists look at a blue whale’s ear plug (earwax) to estimate its age.Β
- Each year, a light and dark layer of wax is laid in the ear. This corresponds with fasting during the migration period and feeding time.Β
- Each set of light and dark rings is thus an indicator of each year of age.
- In addition, female blue whales develop scars on their ovaries every time they ovulate, so their age can be calculated this way too.
Reproduction and Young
- Blue whales generally reach sexual maturity around ten years of age and mate from fall to winter.
- Little is known about mating behavior, breeding, or birthing areas. However, they appear to use memory to locate the best feeding and birthing areas.
- Blue whales appear to be polygynous, with males competing for females.
- Typically the male blue whale will trail a female and fight off any potential rivals.
- Once pregnant, the females eat roughly four percent of their body weight daily.
- Gestation lasts 10β12 months.
- Baby blue whales are called calves.
- They are enormous babies, about 20 ft (6 m) long when born, and weigh up to 6,000 lbs (2721 kg).Β
- A nursing blue whale mother will produce around 50 gallons (118 lt) of milk daily for her calf.
- Calves gain roughly 37,500 pounds (17,000 kg) during the weaning period.
- Calves are weaned around eight months of age and are already 53 ft (16 mt) long.
Did You Know?
- The blue whale is also less commonly called the sulfur-bottom whale.
- Female blue whales usually grow larger than males, and the largest blue whales live in the Antarctic region.
- Blue whales are the loudest animals on Earth and are even louder than a jet engine.Β
- Their low-frequency whistle can be heard for hundreds of miles and is probably used to attract other blue whales.
- During certain times of the year, an adult blue whale can consume up to 4 tons of krill in one day.
- Whales are at the top of the food chain and have a very important role in the overall health of the marine environment.
Blue Whale Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Blue Whale across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Blue Whale worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the blue whale, which is the largest living animal known to have ever existed on Earth. It can grow up to 100 feet and weigh up to 200 tons.Β
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Blue Whale Facts
- Big Blue Beings
- Epic Fact or Epic Fail?
- Whale You Spot Me?
- Big Numbers
- Blues Clues
- Crosswhale Puzzle
- Blue Whale Vocabulary
- The Baleen Bunch
- Blue Whale Acrostic
- Last Whale and Testament
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group of blue whales called?
A group of blue whales is called a pod.
Do blue whales weigh a lot?
Adult blue whales are huge and can weigh as much as a group of 30 elephants.
Do blue whales have sharp teeth?
Surprisingly, these enormous, magnificent creatures do not have any teeth. They capture their prey using a giant sieve in their mouth.
Why was the blue whale hunted so extensively?
Hunting the huge blue whale became easier when harpoons could be shot as projectiles. They were hunted for the skin, which was used for leather, and for the fins that go into making shark fin soup. Their meat was used to make fish food, and the livers were used for oil, so they had a lot of uses.
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Link will appear as Blue Whale Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 20, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.