Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) are the largest animals in Earth's history, reaching lengths of up to 34 meters and weights exceeding 150 tons. This size dwarfs that of a typical school bus.
Found in oceans worldwide, these magnificent creatures migrate vast distances from polar regions to the tropics in search of food and to nurture their young.
Blue whales feed exclusively on krill, tiny shrimp-like marine organisms. The enormous volumes of water they take in while feeding are filtered through baleen plates made of keratin, capturing their prey. A single gulp can yield around half a million calories.
These mammals can live up to 90 years and have few natural predators, aside from occasional attacks by orcas. However, they face significant threats from human activities such as shipping, water pollution, and climate change.
While blue whale populations remain endangered, conservation efforts are slowly helping their numbers to increase.
Communicating over long distances, blue whales use low-frequency sounds that are inaudible to the human ear. Despite their size, they are elusive, capable of holding their breath for up to 20 minutes and covering great distances, which complicates research efforts.
Modern technologies like drones and satellite tagging are expanding our understanding of their behavior and migration patterns.
Today, blue whales remain a symbol of the grandeur and mystery of the ocean depths, reminding us of the need to preserve marine biodiversity.