The blue whale is considered the largest animal in the history of the earth. With its gigantic dimensions, it sets numerous records that fascinate young and old. But despite its incredible beauty, the animals are hunted incessantly, which is why the blue whale belongs to the endangered species and is under protection. In the meantime, the population has fortunately increased, so that hopefully many generations to come will be able to enjoy the majestic marine mammals. To give you a little more knowledge about these animals, we have researched 25 interesting facts about blue whales. Have fun being amazed!
1. The heart of a blue whale weighs about 400 pounds (180 kilograms) and is about the size of a small golf cart.
2. Blue whales live to be over 110 years old.
3. The tongue of a blue whale weighs as much as a full-grown elephant.
4. Blue whales reach sexual maturity after five to 15 years.
5. Blue whales have been protected worldwide since 1967.
6. Blue whales are so big and fast – if they have to be – that only killer whale groups hunt them on rare occasions.
7. At birth, a baby blue whale is already over 23 feet (seven meters) long and weighs more than 5.5 short tons (five tons).
8. With one “bite”, blue whales consume up to 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of food or almost half a million calories. Opening the mouth and eating food alone can burn up to 2,000 calories.
9. Blue whales normally travel at a speed of five miles per hour (eight kilometers per hour) but can accelerate to 30 miles per hour (nearly 50 kilometers per hour) when hunted.
10. Blue whales can be found in every ocean in the world except the Arctic Ocean.
11. In the 19th century, there were an estimated 250,000 blue whales in the world, but industrial whaling reduced the number to only about 400 by 1967.
12. Blue whales do not have teeth, but baleen – delicate horny plates through which the blue whale can filter out krill from vast quantities of water and then swallow it.
13. Blue whales give birth to a calf at intervals of two to three years.
14. By 2020, an estimated 25,000 blue whales were again living in the world.
15. Blue whales only look blue underwater. On the surface, their skin is more blue-gray.
16. Blue whales are the heaviest animals in the history of the earth. With a maximum length of up to 108 feet (33 meters), they come to a weight of 220 short tons (200 tons).
17. The arteries of a blue whale are so thick that a human could swim in them.
Read more: 71 Facts About the Big Five Animals
18. Blue whales are the longest mammals that have ever existed on the planet.
19. Blue whales are pregnant for twelve months.
20. A blue whale’s heartbeat can drop to two beats per minute at depth. In contrast, the heart beats much faster at the surface, up to 34 beats per minute.
21. In its first year, a blue whale infant gains about 200 pounds (90 kilograms) of weight per day – or 8.3 pounds (3.75 kilograms) per hour.
22. The penis of a blue whale is about 6.5 feet (two meters) long when erect and has a diameter of 11.8 inches (30 centimeters). Therefore, the blue whale has the longest penis in the world.
23. A blue whale eats up to four tons of krill a day.
24. A baby blue whale drinks about 50 gallons (190 liters) of mother’s milk every day, which has a fat content of 40 to 50 percent.
25. The blue whale is the loudest animal in the world. Its cry can still be heard up to 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away.
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