Many believe that the Blue Whale is the largest known creature on earth. These whales are a class of giant whales, which can reach up to 30 feet in length. They are among one of the most mysterious creatures in the seas, as they have not been sighted for over twenty years. Scientists believe that there are only a few hundred of these whales in the world, and that number is decreasing every year.
There are several distinctive physical characteristics of the Blue Whale, as well as their unusual behavior. Although the whales are considered to be blue whales, they have gray, black, or white blubber. They also have a dorsal fin, and a highly compressed body with little or no dorsal fin at all. Interestingly, they have no tail.
The average life of a Blue Whale is about seven to ten years. They can live up to thirty years in captivity. In addition to living in bays, these whales also frequent coastal areas and feed along the shoreline. It’s thought that they primarily feed on fish, although they will scavenge on dead fish and other marine creatures.
There is very little information about the behavior of these giants, other than that they tend to stay close to the coast. If they go far from the coast, they are in a semi-diving mode, to scout out new feeding grounds. These creatures have excellent eyesight, and they use that to hunt. They usually travel alone, except when seeking to mate. And they primarily hunt during the night, when their prey is most easy to spot.
These mammals are among one of the most difficult animals to study. Researchers know very little about them, and the population is believed to be incredibly small. Only about a hundred have ever been seen in the wild, and only a few ever come close to shore. It’s believed that populations tend to flourish around certain times of the year, when weather conditions are optimal. The mating season is usually in December and January.
There are a few myths about blue whales that aren’t true. For example, they are the largest predatory animals on earth. They are not, however, the largest fish in the ocean. In fact, it’s estimated that they consume over 5 billion pounds of food each year.
They have large brains, which is good for them since they can process a lot of information at once. This helps them to stay on top of the game. They also have highly developed sense of smell, vision, and hearing. As their name implies, they feed by picking up food with their tongue. They can catch fish by “hand-sucking” and “gulp” – a process called bioluminescence.
Blue whales are very unique animals. Their appearance, lifestyle, diet, and behavior are quite dissimilar from other species of whales. Because of this, they are an interesting specimen to study. Researchers and explorers are constantly searching for more information about these magnificent creatures.
