BLUE WHALE

 

The largest animal to have ever lived on Earth is the blue whale, or Balaenoptera musculus as it is scientifically known.Greater than any known dinosaur, these amazing marine mammals can grow up to 100 feet (30 meters) in length and 200 tons in weight.Their size is incredible, especially when you consider that their hearts alone can weigh as much as a car and that their tongues can weigh as much as an elephant.A sleek body shape that aids in their ability to navigate the ocean's depths, blue whales are distinguished by their unique blue-gray coloring and mottled skin pattern.Blue whales, despite their massive size, are filter feeders; they mainly eat krill by swallowing large amounts of water and using their mouths to filter out the tiny crustaceans using baleen plates.

The centuries-long practice of intensive whaling has tragically resulted in significant population declines for blue whales.These magnificent animals are still in danger from ship strikes, becoming entangled in fishing gear, and ocean pollution, despite the fact that international rights have been placed in place to protect them.The blue whale's survival and their rightful status as the largest animals in the world's oceans depend heavily on conservation initiatives.