Name: Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Adult length: 24 – 33.5 m
Weight: up to 190 tonnes
Blue Whales are the largest vertebrates ever to inhabit our planet. To see them in real life is special; to snorkel with them, as we have limited licences to do in Sri Lanka, is a chance to see them in their entire glory, swimming gracefully in their ocean realm.
The facts on blue whales are astounding; with a tongue the size of an elephant and a heart the size of a car, these magnificent whales feed exclusively on krill and are able to consume over 4 tonnes of this small, shrimp-like crustacean in a day. With an average lifespan of 80 – 90 years, blue whales also produce the lowest sounds of any whale, vocalizing as low as 14 Hz at volumes up to 200 decibels. Sounds at this frequency and intensity can travel for thousands of miles in the deep ocean. These sounds may be used to communicate with other whales and their low frequency pulses may be used to navigate by creating a sonic image of distant oceanic features.
For our Free Guide to Blue Whales, please click on the request button below:
Click to Request our Free Guide to Blue Whales
Our guide includes:
- Easy step-by-step guide to recognising a blue whale
- The 3 geographic groups of blue whales
- Best places to see a blue whale
- Best places to swim, snorkel and freedive with a blue whale
- How Long are Blue Whales, Growth & how Long do they live
- Blue Whale Hunting
- Conservation status
