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    Blue Whale Fact Sheet

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    Nikos Poly
    The document discusses blue whales, the largest animals to ever exist. Blue whales were nearly driven to extinction by whaling but numbers have slowly increased since whaling bans. The document outlines key facts about blue whales such as their size, habitat, feeding behaviors, lifecycles, and current threats like pollution and climate change.

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    Blue Whale Fact Sheet

    Uploaded by

    Nikos Poly
    99 views2 pages
    The document discusses blue whales, the largest animals to ever exist. Blue whales were nearly driven to extinction by whaling but numbers have slowly increased since whaling bans. The document outlines key facts about blue whales such as their size, habitat, feeding behaviors, lifecycles, and current threats like pollution and climate change.

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    The document discusses blue whales, the largest animals to ever exist. Blue whales were nearly driven to extinction by whaling but numbers have slowly increased since whaling bans. The document outlines key facts about blue whales such as their size, habitat, feeding behaviors, lifecycles, and current threats like pollution and climate change.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    99 views2 pages

    Blue Whale Fact Sheet

    Uploaded by

    Nikos Poly
    The document discusses blue whales, the largest animals to ever exist. Blue whales were nearly driven to extinction by whaling but numbers have slowly increased since whaling bans. The document outlines key facts about blue whales such as their size, habitat, feeding behaviors, lifecycles, and current threats like pollution and climate change.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Tony Wu

    Why we love blue whales blue whales are the largest animal ever
    to have lived; their tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant!

    Blue Whale
    The largest animal in the world was once
    KEY FACTS
    Length up to 30m
    brought shockingly close to extinction by
    Weight up to 160,000kg relentless whaling. There used to be over
    Status under Australian 250,000 blue whales in our oceans, but
    Federal law Endangered, migratory
    hunting reduced blue whale numbers to
    just a few hundred. Although the hunting
    of blue whales is now banned by the
    International Whaling Commission, there
    are still very few blue whales compared to
    the days before whaling.
    What do they look like? long-lived animals, living up to an incredible critical areas poses a threat to blue whales.
    Blue whales are named for the beautiful 90 years, while pygmy blue whales live to In recent years, ocean noise pollution
    aquamarine colour they appear when around 50 years. Adult female blue whales around key feeding areas in Australia has
    underwater, but when at the surface the usually give birth to an infant every two to increased. This noise, which comes from
    skin actually looks a mottled blue-grey. three years, after a pregnancy of approx- ships and seismic testing by oil and gas
    This mottling pattern is different on imately 11 months. Females nurse their companies, could result in deterring blue
    each blue whale and so can be used young for around 7 months. whales from their important feeding areas.
    to identify individuals.
    Considering their immense size, blue Blue whales are also at risk from collisions
    When a blue whale is at the oceans surface, whales feed on surprisingly small prey with boats, known as ship strikes, which
    you may be able to spot the small fin on tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill. They can be fatal. This is a particular threat
    its smooth back, near the tail, and see a tall therefore have to eat an incredible amount where busy shipping lanes overlap with
    column of water vapour, reaching up to of krill, up to 8 tonnes each day, to sustain key areas of habitat.
    12 metres high, as the whale exhales. themselves. They may either feed at or
    Like many animals, climate change may
    Two types (subspecies) of blue whales near the surface, lunging at a school of krill
    also threaten the future of blue whales.
    are found around Australia: the Antarctic with their mouths open, or dive down
    Climate change is predicted to change
    blue whale and pygmy blue whale. to incredible depths for their meal. Blue
    ocean currents and temperature, which
    Antarctic blue whales grow up to 30 whales can dive down to 500 metres where
    could alter blue whale habitats and affect
    metres, while pygmy blue whales are they can remain for around 50 minutes
    the availability and distribution of their
    smaller but despite their name still before having to return to the surface for air.
    food. In light of such change, human
    grow to 24 metres in length.
    What threats do they face? activities, such as krill fisheries, could
    Whats their lifecycle? Key feeding areas are vital for blue whales, put additional pressure on this
    Antarctic blue whales are extremely and so anything that poses a risk to these endangered mammal.

    Where can I see them?


    Around Australia, there are a number of important areas offshore where blue whales feed: the Perth Canyon,
    Kangaroo Island and the Bonney Upwelling off South Australia and Victoria. The place youre most likely to see
    blue whales from shore is Geographe Bay, Western Australia, as they pass through between October and December.

    IFAW, 6 Belmore Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 T 02 9288 4900 E [email protected]
    facebook/ifaw twitter @IFAWAU www.ifaw.org

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