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Biggest whale
The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth; it
is larger than any of the giant dinosaurs were. The biggest
recorded blue whale was a female in the Antarctic Ocean
that was 30.5 m long (more than 3.5 times the length of a
double-decker bus and as long as a Boeing 737plane) with an
estimated weight of 144 tonnes (almost the same as 2,000
men!). The tongue alone of a blue whale can weigh as much as
an elephant and an entire football team could stand on it!
is larger than any of the giant dinosaurs were. The biggest
recorded blue whale was a female in the Antarctic Ocean
that was 30.5 m long (more than 3.5 times the length of a
double-decker bus and as long as a Boeing 737plane) with an
estimated weight of 144 tonnes (almost the same as 2,000
men!). The tongue alone of a blue whale can weigh as much as
an elephant and an entire football team could stand on it!
The heart of a blue whale is about the size of a VW Beetle car
and weighs up to 1000 pounds – that’s about as much as 1,111
cans of baked beans!The aorta, a major blood vessel for the
heart, is big enough for a human child to crawl through.
and weighs up to 1000 pounds – that’s about as much as 1,111
cans of baked beans!The aorta, a major blood vessel for the
heart, is big enough for a human child to crawl through.
Babies
Blue whales are pregnant for 10-12 months. The newborn calf is
about 7.5 m long and weighs about 5.5 – 7.3 tonnes –nearly as
much as 100 men! A baby blue whale drinks about 225 litres
(about enough to fill a bath) of its mother’s fat-laden milk (it is
40-50% fat and about the consistency of cottage cheese) a day,
gaining 3.7 kilograms an hour,until at age 8 months they are 15
m long and 22.5 tonnes! The mother and calf may stay together
for a year or longer, until the calf is about 13 m long. Blue whales
reach maturity at 10-15 years.
about 7.5 m long and weighs about 5.5 – 7.3 tonnes –nearly as
much as 100 men! A baby blue whale drinks about 225 litres
(about enough to fill a bath) of its mother’s fat-laden milk (it is
40-50% fat and about the consistency of cottage cheese) a day,
gaining 3.7 kilograms an hour,until at age 8 months they are 15
m long and 22.5 tonnes! The mother and calf may stay together
for a year or longer, until the calf is about 13 m long. Blue whales
reach maturity at 10-15 years.
Deepest divers
A Cuvier's beaked whale has been recorded to dive to a depth of
3km for over 2 hours.
3km for over 2 hours.
Sperm whales are also champion divers. Adults can stay
underwater for almost two hours and dive to depths of 2,000
metres, maybe more!
underwater for almost two hours and dive to depths of 2,000
metres, maybe more!
They eat squid, which can live very deep in the ocean, so sperm
whales have to dive down into the deepest parts of the sea to
catch them. No one is quite sure how they make such deep
dives.
whales have to dive down into the deepest parts of the sea to
catch them. No one is quite sure how they make such deep
dives.
It’s hard to understand just how deep 2000m under the sea is,
but try to imagine the Eiffel Tower in Paris – now picture seven of
them going down into the ocean and it’s like diving down the
length of all seven. Humans definitely couldn’t do that - the water
pressure would squash us.
but try to imagine the Eiffel Tower in Paris – now picture seven of
them going down into the ocean and it’s like diving down the
length of all seven. Humans definitely couldn’t do that - the water
pressure would squash us.
Biggest brain
The sperm whale’s huge head, which is up to a third of its overall
body length, houses the heaviest brain in the animal kingdom -
up to 9kg. The head also consists of a cavity large enough to
park a car inside that contains a yellowish wax called spermaceti.
body length, houses the heaviest brain in the animal kingdom -
up to 9kg. The head also consists of a cavity large enough to
park a car inside that contains a yellowish wax called spermaceti.
Thickest blubber and longest baleen
The bowhead whale, which lives exclusively in the Arctic, has the
thickest blubber of all cetaceans. It can reach a whopping 70cm
in thickness. These whales also have the longest baleen – the
comb-like structures hanging down from their upper jaws used as
a sieve to filter food from the sea-water. These baleen plates can
reach up to 5 metres in length – taller than a doubled decker bus!
thickest blubber of all cetaceans. It can reach a whopping 70cm
in thickness. These whales also have the longest baleen – the
comb-like structures hanging down from their upper jaws used as
a sieve to filter food from the sea-water. These baleen plates can
reach up to 5 metres in length – taller than a doubled decker bus!
Largest testicles!
The southern right whale has the largest testes in the animal
kingdom –each pair weighing around a tonne. That’s the same
as 1,000 bags of sugar!
kingdom –each pair weighing around a tonne. That’s the same
as 1,000 bags of sugar!
Longest tooth
The male narwhal has two teeth. The left one pierces the
animal’s lip and grows to an incredible 2-3 metres. In Europe,
these tusks were once sold as the horns of the mythical unicorn.
animal’s lip and grows to an incredible 2-3 metres. In Europe,
these tusks were once sold as the horns of the mythical unicorn.
Most urine
An individual fin whale pees about 970 litres per day. That’s
enough to fill up more than 3 bathtubs!
enough to fill up more than 3 bathtubs!
Most endangered whale
The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered
whales. Only around 400-500 individuals survive, living along the
east coast of North America. A few hundred right whales also live
in the North Pacific while the Western Pacific gray whale may be
down to the last 150 whales.
whales. Only around 400-500 individuals survive, living along the
east coast of North America. A few hundred right whales also live
in the North Pacific while the Western Pacific gray whale may be
down to the last 150 whales.
Longest living whale
In the wild whales live for a long time - generally the larger
species living longest. Bowhead whales spend their lives in cold
Arctic waters. They may be the world’s oldest mammals and are
the longest lived of all whales – possibly over 200 years!
species living longest. Bowhead whales spend their lives in cold
Arctic waters. They may be the world’s oldest mammals and are
the longest lived of all whales – possibly over 200 years!
Vocalizations (sounds made by whales)
Beluga whales are called the "canaries of the sea" because they
make sounds like the little yellow birds.
make sounds like the little yellow birds.
Sperm whales make the loudest sounds. They have been
recorded making a noise at 230 decibels. Blue whales are also
very loud. Their call reaches levels up to 188 decibels and can be
heard hundreds of miles away. A jet in comparison reaches only
140 decibels. Sounds over 120-130 decibels are painful to
human ears.
recorded making a noise at 230 decibels. Blue whales are also
very loud. Their call reaches levels up to 188 decibels and can be
heard hundreds of miles away. A jet in comparison reaches only
140 decibels. Sounds over 120-130 decibels are painful to
human ears.
Male humpback whales sing the most complex songs and have
long, varied, eerie, and beautiful songs that include recognizable
sequences of squeaks, grunts, and other sounds. The songs have
the largest range of frequencies used by whales, ranging from
20-9,000 Hertz. Only males have been recorded singing. They
sing the complex songs only in warm waters, perhaps used for
mating purposes. In cold waters, they make rougher sounds,
scrapes and groans, perhaps used for locating large masses of
krill (the tiny crustaceans that they eat).
long, varied, eerie, and beautiful songs that include recognizable
sequences of squeaks, grunts, and other sounds. The songs have
the largest range of frequencies used by whales, ranging from
20-9,000 Hertz. Only males have been recorded singing. They
sing the complex songs only in warm waters, perhaps used for
mating purposes. In cold waters, they make rougher sounds,
scrapes and groans, perhaps used for locating large masses of
krill (the tiny crustaceans that they eat).
Longest whale migration
The humpbacks that feed in Antarctic waters and swim north to breed off Colombia and Panama make the longest confirmed migration of any mammal.
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