5/4/2016 1 Comment Blue WhalesBlue whales are the largest animals on the planet, reaching sizes of over 90 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. They are named for their blue-gray colour spotted with light gray. The blue whales nickname is “sulfur bottom”due to their most recognizable trait other than their size. Their most recognizable trait being the yellowish tinge of their bellies which is caused by the cold water diatoms that adhere to their skin. Blue whales have a dark history of being hunted for their oil. Due to the size as well as being able to reach top speeds of 50 kilometer per hour, gave them an advantage over early whalers. In 1868 Sven Foyn a Norwegian, revolutionized the whaling industry through the invention of the exploding harpoon gun, as well as new methods of inflating dead whales so that they did not sink. This allowed them to be harvested more easily, after 1900 the whaling industry started to hunt blue whales more readily. As whale of 90-feet alone could yield 120 barrels of oil, this discover spark their mass killing. The slaughter peaked in 1931 with more than 29,000 whales killed in a single season of whaling. Currently the blue whales is still under threat from a number of different activities.Whaling is still a large issue even though they are listed as an endangered species they are still widely hunt for their bodies. Climate change is one of the biggest issues that affect the blue whale as it sparks the onset of other issues such as declining krill population which is the primary source of food of which they require four or more tons daily. Human activity is also caused by the changing climate, it encompass issues like habitat degradation, pollution, vessel strikes, human noise, and fisheries interactions. Most commonly blue whales can be found entangled in fishing nets. The blue whale is a very solitary animal as it is most often found alone or in a pair, If the are seen in a group it usually ranges of upwards of 50 whales. As they are often very far from other blue whales they are able to emit sound so low that the human ear cannot detect it yet it is believed that it can reach other whales over 1,500 kilometers away under ideal conditions. As well it is thought that they use these sounds as sonar to navigate the deep ocean as they enjoy diving to depths of 330 feet to feed on krill. Whales have had a rich relationship in first nations culture as spiritually animals. Yet the blue whale has not been seen as much in the culture of the world’s people other than for the purpose of whaling them. As the largest animal on the planet, natural the blue whale is a cornerstone of the ocean’s ecosystem. In life it regulates the amounts of krill so that populations do not explode. In death it becomes the perfect breeding ground for new life as it so large that it pass through each layer of the ocean. Allowing for animals from all depths to take advantage of the large amount of resources that they can get from the whale carcass. "Blue Whale." American Cetacean Society. Web. 04 May 2016.
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nonono
3/10/2017 12:11:30 pm
WOW HUGE WHALE
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