THE BLUE WHALE

The blue whale is truly an ocean giant - the largest creature to have ever lived on this planet. Amazingly, it also feeds on some of the smallest animals to be found in our seas - plankton.

Instead of teeth the blue whale has a row of plates in its mouth known as baleen, which form an incredibly efficient food collecting device. Acting as an enormous sieve, the blue whales mouth can hold an inrush of up to 5 tonnes of water with each gulp!

The blue whale has around 320 baleen plates, measuring 100cm long by 55cm wide. There is a 'mostache' of bristles on the end of each plate to hold its tiny prey. Having forced the water out of its moth the whale then licks the back of its 'teeth'with its fleshy tongue to retrieve the food.

Male blue whales can grow up to 25 metres in length while females can reach a mind blowing 26 metres. They communicate by low frequency moans at around 25 Hertz, these can also contain loud and intermittent chirps and whistles.

They can live up to 80 years with mature females giving birth only every 3 years after a gestation period of 11 - 12 months.

Blues whales can be found inhabiting areas all around the world, but are mainly based in Arctic and Antarctic waters where greater quantities of plankton are found.

CONSERVATION

Since 1986, commercial whaling has ceased and blue whales now show signs of breeding success. However, it will take at least a century of protection before they are out of danger of extiction!