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.
A common myth is that the heartbeat of these magnificent creatures can be heard twenty miles away. Not only is that not true, but their heart cannot be heard from even ten feet away!
Interestingly, one of the smallest seabirds on earth, Cassins Auklet, and the Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to have lived on earth, both subsist primarily on the same prey: krill. Blue Whales are baleen whales. Instead of teeth, they have a series of flexible plates called baleen that they use to strain up to four tons of these tiny shrimp like crustaceans from the ocean each day.
Blue Whales have been known to breed with Fin Whales, the second largest animals on earth. Several hybrid whales have been documented by scientists using DNA analysis.
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 are fast, strong swimmers with an average speed of about 12 miles per hour with an ability when alarmed to move at speeds of up to 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 throughout the world but scientists do not know exactly where they breed or give birth. Feeding has been documented in both tropical and cold polar waters.
In the 1800's there were hundreds of thousands of Blue Whales all over the world. Then man developed weapons such as guns and exploding harpoons an proceeded to nearly eliminate these wonderful animals in the early twentieth century. Blue Whales were hunted mercilessly for 40 years until they were nearly extinct. Protection began in 1966 and their population is slowly recovering with perhaps 6,000 to 8,000 Blue Whales left worldwide today.
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.
A common myth is that the heartbeat of these magnificent creatures can be heard twenty miles away. Not only is that not true, but their heart cannot be heard from even ten feet away!
Interestingly, one of the smallest seabirds on earth, Cassins Auklet, and the Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to have lived on earth, both subsist primarily on the same prey: krill. Blue Whales are baleen whales. Instead of teeth, they have a series of flexible plates called baleen that they use to strain up to four tons of these tiny shrimp like crustaceans from the ocean each day.
Blue Whales have been known to breed with Fin Whales, the second largest animals on earth. Several hybrid whales have been documented by scientists using DNA analysis.
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 are fast, strong swimmers with an average speed of about 12 miles per hour with an ability when alarmed to move at speeds of up to 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 throughout the world but scientists do not know exactly where they breed or give birth. Feeding has been documented in both tropical and cold polar waters.
In the 1800's there were hundreds of thousands of Blue Whales all over the world. Then man developed weapons such as guns and exploding harpoons an proceeded to nearly eliminate these wonderful animals in the early twentieth century. Blue Whales were hunted mercilessly for 40 years until they were nearly extinct. Protection began in 1966 and their population is slowly recovering with perhaps 6,000 to 8,000 Blue Whales left worldwide today.
About the Author:
Terry Hunefeld retired as a CEO in 2007 to follow his bliss of sailing the ocean to observe seabirds and mammals. He and his wife Ann own the lovely Inn at Moonlight Beach on the Pacific Ocean of San Diego. If you would like to stay at 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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