The Blue Whale
(Balaenoptera musculus)

Habitat, Life Span:
-Live at ocean surface
-Found at North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Southern Hemisphere.
- Life expectancy usually 35-40 years, depending on each whale.

Discovery and Now:
-Discovered in 1868 in Norway.
-been existent for 134 years.
-originally 200,000 whales, now exists 5-10,000.
-found very often around Alaska.

Extinction:
-been extinct since 1900.
-valuable due to their meat, oil and other body parts.
-In 1931, 29,000 were killed.
-In 1966, International Whaling Commission (IWC) banned all Blue Whale hunting and gave worldwide protection.
-Populations have recently began to recover because of the less need for the whales.

Migration patterns,
-found in Oceans
-mate in tropical to temperate waters during the winter months.
-feed in polar waters during the summer months.
-Go from the Northern Hemisphere, north to the Arctic.
-Go from the Southern Hemisphere, south to the Antarctic.
-All Southern Hemisphere population, is found feeding grounds in the Arctic in the summer.

Physical Description:
-head is 1/4 total body length
-upper part of the head is broad, flat and U-shaped with a single ridge.
-two large blow holes
-the holes blow 25 feet high.
-body is smooth and free of parasites.
-blue-gray in color.
-has two flippers
-underside of the flipper is light.
-underside of the fluke is dark.
-fins measure 1 foot.
-flippers are short and are 12% of the body length.
-flukes are broad and triangular.
-weighs 110 tons.
-75-80 feet long.
-the breathe air at water surface through the blowholes, located near the top of the head.
-breathe one to four times per minute rest, and 5-12 times after deep dive.

Feeding:
-eat shrimp like creatures called krill.
-In the summer, the consume four tons.
-take in large amounts of food and water during feedings.

How to Help:
-feed the whales so they can have food in their bodies to remain alive.
-To aide in avoiding extinction, reach the American Cetacean Society, or the International Whaling Commission.