The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus), a marine mammal that belongs to the whale fish family, is thought to be the biggest creature on earth. It can weigh up to 140 tons and have a length of 30 meters. Although numerous in most oceans until the early 20th century, widespread hunting has caused their numbers to drop to three or four thousand.

Darwinism and taxonomy

The Balaenoptera whale species includes the Blue Whale. By sprouting, they are more similar to the Humpback and Gray Whales than any other species in their genus, according to DNA sequencing analysis.

physical characteristics

The Blue Whale is a species of whale that differs from other whales in that it has a long, slender body, a flat, U-shaped head, and a prominent ridge that runs from the blowhole to the top of the upper lip. The front of the mouth is particularly thick. There is little dorsal fin. About three-quarters of its body length is covered by the other fin side wings, which are noticeable. The fins are gray in color and three to four meters long. The underside and lower edge are white, while the upper side is gray white. Typically, their back structure is mottled.

Feed

Blue whales eat krill, a tiny shellfish that resembles shrimp. They search for the area with the most krill, then they eat.

Lifecycle

It is predicted to live for 80 years. Even though little is known about their mating habits, they mate from autumn to winter. After a gestation period of ten to twelve months, females give birth once every two to three years.

Sound volume (vocalizations)

The blue whale is one of the animals with one of the loudest calls in the world, with estimates ranging between 155 and 188 decibels.

a time for hunting

Blue whales are difficult to catch or kill due to their speed and strength. However, whalers gradually increased their catch as the number of other species declined. Additionally, their numbers had significantly decreased by the end of World War I and had significantly decreased by the end of the nineteenth century in the North Atlantic. When hunting was outlawed for them in 1960, their population growth amounted to just 1% of what it had been.

Number of people and current distribution

It is a species that is in danger of extinction and has a population between 3000 and 4000. The North-East Pacific, which stretches from Alaska to Costa Rica, has the highest concentration. Between Kamchatka and the northernmost tip of Japan, it is also infrequently observed. In the Southern Ocean, it has between 750 and 1200 inhabitants. This group is thought to consist of 500 individuals, and it can be found in the North Atlantic, Greenland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and the Gulf of Lawrence. It is assumed that there are only 100 units in another group in the same area.