About the Blue Whale Life Cycle
The blue whale is the largest creature on Earth, but not much is known about this amazing ocean dweller. As we continue to explore our oceans, more information about blue whales will help to sustain this endangered species.
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History
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The blue whale was hunted almost to extinction during the first half of the twentieth century. The orca is the blue whale's only natural predator other than humans. The blue whale has an appetite to match its enormous size: A blue whale eats about 40 million krill a day, which amounts to approximately 7,900 lbs.
Features
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The blue whale lives in deep ocean waters and feeds in cool waters. Although little is known about the blue whale's mating habits or breeding grounds, it is believed that blue whales migrate to tropical waters to give birth. The mating cycle begins around late autumn and continues until the middle of winter. The blue whale becomes sexually mature between 5 to 10 years of age.
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Significance
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The gestation period of a blue whale is 10 to 12 months. When a calf is here it weighs approximately 2 1/2 to 4 tons. It is approximately 8 m in length. In the first 6 months of its life, a blue whale calf doubles its length. The blue whale has the fastest growth rate in the animal kingdom. On average, one calf is born every 2 to 3 years.
Considerations
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Since the blue whale has no teeth, it is impossible to determine the exact age. Scientists estimate that the blue whale has a lifespan of between 50 to 80 years, although the longest recorded age is 34 years. Amazingly, blue whale calves gain approximately 200 lbs. per day for the first year of their lives. A calf often remains with the mother for the first year of life.
Size
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It can actually be difficult to comprehend the immense size of the blue whale. The largest blue whale ever recorded was 110 feet in length. Females of the species are larger than males. The massive size of a blue whale does not slow it down: Blue whales can reach speeds up to 30 mph in short bursts. They can also dive up to an hour at a time and at depths of 350 feet. When a blue whale exhales, the spray from its blowholes can reach 30 to 40 feet in the air.
Theories/Speculation
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The blue whale remains an endangered species. At one time, the world's oceans were teeming with over 350,000 blue whales, but now only an estimated 5,000 to 12,000 exist. While a small increase in their numbers has taken place in certain areas, they have never made a significant recovery since the killing of blue whales has been banned. Perhaps someday this remarkable species will once again flourish.
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Resources
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