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The blue whale gliding gracefully through the sea is considered the largest creature that ever existed. This massive hippopotamus can reach 110 feet in length and weigh up to 150 tons. Almost 30% of this weight consists only of subcutaneous fat. Their huge energy requirements require them to consume huge amounts of food every day. The blue whale can be found feeding and traveling all over the oceans of the world with the exception of the far north of the Arctic. Once almost completely wiped out for its resources, the blue whale is now making a small return, although the population has not yet fully recovered from its lowest level. One of the biggest challenges in the future is climate change, which can affect his eating habits in many unpredictable ways.
What does the blue whale eat?
The blue whale’s diet consists almost entirely of krill. These are small marine crustaceans, a bit like shrimp. Most krill species (there are almost a hundred) grow no more than an inch in length, but some grow up to 3 or 4 inches. They are very important at the bottom of many marine food webs; they consume small algae and plankton in the water, and they also become prey to larger organisms such as whales and fish. In fact, krill is an important intermediate that transfers energy further down the food chain. Although krill can be found all over the world, krill are especially abundant in Antarctic waters.
It is estimated that the blue whale will consume up to 6 tons (12,000 pounds) of krill per day. This is about 4% of their total body weight. The whales make the most of their feeding and energy expenditure by eating as much krill as possible in a single voyage. Other marine animals, including fish, zooplankton and other small crustaceans, make up a relatively small but significant part of its diet.
Female blue whales tend to be larger than males and therefore consume slightly more food. After mating in the winter, they are pregnant for the next 10-12 months and must eat more and more unborn calves. Six or seven months after birth, the calf will completely give up breast milk and begin feeding on krill for itself. The exceptionally high fat content in breast milk allows it to grow very quickly. The calf is believed to consume hundreds of pounds of milk per day.
How do blue whales get enough food?
The blue whale is part of the main group of cetaceans known as baleen whales (which also includes the striped whale, sey-whale, finvatnik, and other close relatives). The name comes from the presence of unique fibers called whalebone plates suspended from the palate. Unlike teeth, whalebone plates are made of protein keratin, the same substance as hair, horns, and nails. They grow continuously throughout the life of a whale, collapsing at one end and growing at the other; about 15 years of a whale’s life can be recorded on one sheet. By studying the chemistry of the whalebone, scientists can even understand important information about the whale’s hormonal levels or where it has traveled.
It has been estimated that a normal adult blue whale has 270 to 400 whiskers around its mouth. They are complemented by various folds (or grooves) that allow the mouth to expand outward like a balloon when large amounts of food are eaten. Scientists believe that whale plates evolved gradually, starting about 30 million years ago, when competition between toothed whales became fierce and new food sources became available. Massive plankton blooms due to upwelling of nutrients in the depths of the ocean, which began about three million years ago, may have allowed baleen whales to grow to their current size.
The blue whale’s feeding habit depends on finding these scattered pieces of food in the ocean. It makes several food trips a day, sometimes diving a thousand feet or more in search of food to eat. When approaching a large, concentrated flock of prey, the whale begins to increase its speed (up to 20 miles per hour) and rush forward. His mouth then opens to a surprisingly wide angle, 80 to 90 degrees, and takes in a huge amount, perhaps about 200 tons of water in one gulp, thanks to the expanding folds of his throat. The whalebone plates will then squeeze the water back into the ocean using the tongue, while the prey remains safe in the mouth.
Blue whales spend most of the summer months feeding in polar waters. With the approach of winter, they make a very long migration to equatorial waters. It is estimated that their feeding rate is higher in summer than in winter, when they spend most of their breeding time. However, unlike other species, the migratory movements of the blue whale are not set in stone. Some blue whales can only make partial migrations, while others stay in one place all year round. Their migratory patterns appear to be largely dependent on food availability.
In addition to this seasonal migration, evidence also suggests that blue whales make a daily “vertical” migration from shallow water to deep water and vice versa as their prey moves through the water column. This means that they are constantly changing positions within 24 hours.
What do blue whales eat besides krill?
They consume fish, plankton, and other tiny crustaceans (such as copepods and amphipods) floating in the water.
Do blue whales eat plankton?
Yes, they consume any zooplankton (very small and simple marine organisms) that enter their mouth. Some of them are so small that they can be filtered out, but larger zooplankton can remain.
Complete list of the 5 best foods that blue whale eats
Blue whales have a highly specialized diet to which they are well adapted. As a result, they eat very little food. Krill are by far the most common food staple. Other prey is usually eaten with krill.
Next: Types of Pointing Dogs
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