{"id":2582,"date":"2007-07-30T08:05:00","date_gmt":"2007-07-30T08:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whalewatchingazores.com\/blog\/2007\/07\/30\/blue-whale-2\/"},"modified":"2022-02-07T16:19:04","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T17:19:04","slug":"blue-whale-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whalewatchingazores.com\/blog\/blue-whale-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue whale fact sheet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Blue whales are the largest animals in the world.  They can easily be detected from great a distance because the strong vertical blow reaches up to 12 m in height (lung capacity is about 5,000 liters). The heart alone is the size of a small car, and the tongue can weigh up to 4 tonnes. Under bright light this species can appear blueish, but usually they appear more grey which can cause them to be mistaken with other baleen whales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main distinguishing features are the relatively small dorsal fin the broad U-shaped head, and the mottled skin. Blue whales feed almost exclusively on krill<\/em><\/a> in polar waters during summer months. In general, in winter they go to warmer waters to breed and give birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Azores, blue whales are mostly seen in the spring, during their annual migration. They are usually seen alone or in pairs and may feed to a small extent as they pass by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Length: <\/strong>
\u2022 Male: 29 m
\u2022 Female: 33 m
\u2022 Calf: 7-8 m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weight: <\/strong>
\u2022 Female: 180,000 kg
\u2022 Calf: 2,700 kg<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global population: <\/strong>c.10,000 \u2013 25,000 (population trend increasing)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Status: <\/strong>Endangered<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diet: <\/strong>Various species of krill<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baleen: <\/strong>270 \u2013 400 pairs (black), up to 1 m long and 55 cm wide<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Longevity: <\/strong>60  – 80 years<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breeding age: <\/strong>Unknown<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gestation: <\/strong>10 \u2013 12 months<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nursing:  <\/strong>6 \u2013 7 month (380 \u2013 570 liters per day)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other languages<\/strong>
Portuguese: Baleia-azul
Spanish: Ballena azul
French: Baleine bleue
Italian: Balenottera azzurra
German: Blauwal
Dutch: Blauwe vinvis
Swedish: Bl\u00e5val
Norwegian: Bl\u00e5hval
Danish: Bl\u00e5hval
Finnish: Sinivalas
Russian: Blyuval<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/acoreswhalewatching\/videos\/2188245844549631\/?v=2188245844549631<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n