Reference photo — NOAA Photo Library, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
#055
Blue Whale
Balaenoptera musculus
Challenging
Endangered
Not photographed yet
Distribution
Range
Loads map tiles and observation data from OpenStreetMap and GBIF.
Range: iNaturalist (CC BY 4.0) · Base map: Natural Earth (public domain)
Quick facts
- Group
- Mammals
- Family
- Balaenopteridae
- Size
- 23–30 m (length)
- Weight
- 100–150 t
- Diet
- Filter feeder
- Lifespan
- 80–90 yrs
- Habitat
- Open ocean, Polar feeding grounds, Tropical breeding grounds
About
The blue whale is a species of baleen whale and the largest marine mammal in the rorqual family Balaenopteridae. Reaching a maximum confirmed length of 29.9–30.5 m (98–100 ft) and weighing up to 190–200 t, it is the largest animal known to have ever existed. The blue whale’s long and slender body can be of various shades of greyish-blue on its upper surface and somewhat lighter underneath.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), abridged.