May 24/2017

Feature:
11 Facts About Blue Whales, the Largest Animals Ever Known to Live on Earth

 “...1. They’re ginormous
...Generally ranging in length from 80 to 100 ft... the longest one ever recorded was a magnificent 108 ft long.

2. They’ve got mass
Blue whales weigh up to 200 tonnes...

3. They’ve got big thumpers
The blue whale’s heart is huuuuge!... its beat can be detected from 2 miles away.

4. And tongues
A blue whale’s tongue alone weighs as much as an elephant.

5. They’re big babies
...They pop out at around 8,800 lbs with a length of some 26 feet. They gain 200 pounds a day! Their growth rate is likely one of the fastest in the animal world...

6. They’re loud … & make long-distance calls for free
Blue whales... are the loudest animals on the planet...Their language of pulses, groans, & moans can be heard by others up to 1,000 miles... away.

7. They’ve got big appetites for tiny fish
Blue whales feast on krill; their stomachs can hold 2,200 pounds of the tiny crustaceans at a time. They require almost 9,000 pounds of the little guys a day...

8. They can scoot
They travel a lot, spending summers feeding in polar regions & making the long trip to the Equator as winter comes along. While they have a cruising speed of 5 MPH, they can accelerate up to 20 MPH when needed.

9. They’ve got long lives
While not nearly as old as the Earth’s oldest trees, blue whales are among the planet’s longest-lived animals... scientists count layers of wax in the ears & can determine a ballpark age...the average life is thought to be around 80 to 90 years.

10. They were once numerous
Before whalers discovered the treasure trove of oil that a blue whale could provide, the numbers were generous...

11. Their future is unclear
...There is one population of around 2,000 blue whales off the coast of California – but all told there are only around 10,000 to 25,000 individuals left. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List rates them as Endangered..."

Melissa Breyer (Treehugger)
Jan. 12/2017
care2.com

Cute Critter Pic 

Weekly Chuckle