Blue whale

By: Will Thompson

Description

• classification Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Cetacea

Family: Balaenopteridae

Genus: Balaenoptera

Species: B. musculus

dimensions

• Shape- fishlike with flukes

• Length- 100 feet long

• Height- about 20 feet tall

• Weight- about 200 tons

• Colors and markings-molted blue gray with yellow underbellies.

Habitat

• They live in all of the world’s oceans, following the krill.

• You will mainly find them in deeper water.

Diet

• There diet mainly consists of krill.

• They eat up to 4 to 8 tons daily.

Family life

• Offspring-Number born one, gestation-one year, when- winter in warm waters, care-they drink up to 379 liters daily, swim beside mother. Babies can grow up 1.5 inches and gain 200 pounds a day. Shelter- in water, other-young are up to 25feet long.

Social behavior

• Blue whales usually live alone or in pairs, but sometimes live in pods, or groups.

Characteristics

• Temper- blue whales are usually calm unless threatened or scared.

• Habits and behavior- they travel long distances for food and breeding.

• Defense- speed and whacking with tail.• Acquiring food- migrate with krill.• Life span- 80to90 years.• Other- average heart rate is 8 beats per

minute.

History

• They were hunted for their blubber and oil before 1966. they were on the brink of extinction until they made laws against hunting whales.

Present status

• They are now endangered because of poaching and their history.

sources

• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/blue-whale/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale

• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/blue-whale-interactive