OVERVIEW
The blue whale is the largest mammal in the world. A blue whale calf weighs two tons (1,814 kilograms) at birth and gains an extra 200 pounds (91 kilograms) each day of its first year. Blue whales are able to breathe air, but they are very comfortable in the ocean waters where buoyancy helps to support their incredible bulk. These mammals are found in all the world's oceans and often swim in small groups or alone. These giant creatures feed on tiny shrimplike animals called krill. Only a few thousand blue whales are believed to swim the world's oceans. They were hunted for many years for their blubber and oil, and they were almost hunted to extinction. They were protected under the 1966 International Whaling Convention and are now considered to be an endangered species.
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Balaenoptera musculus
FAMILY NAME
Balaenopteridae
ENDANGERED STATUS
ENDANGERED
CLASSIFICATION
Mammal
LIFE SPAN
80 to 90 years
DIET
Carnivore
HABITAT
Ocean
Range
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