The Blue Whale
Scientific
Name: Balaenoptera musculus
Status:
Endangered
Size:
The biggest animal on Earth! The Blue Whale can grow up
to
100 feet long and weigh up to 160 tons!
Found:
The uppermost level of the pelagic zones throughout the
world
Diet: Small
crustaceans
Response
to Humans: The unique sound that these whales use
to communicate with one another has fancinated humans for
centuries. We have created imitations of these noises and
tried to deciper what they mean.
The Humpback Whale
Scientific
Name: Megaptera novaeangliae
Status:
Endangered
Size:
This whale can grow up to 52 feet long and can weigh up to
30-50 tons!
Found in:
The uppermost layer of pelagic zones throughout the
world.
They migrate from warm climates to cold climates to
eat.
Diet:
Plankton, small crustaceans, and krill
Response
to Humans: Just as other whales, the humpback whale
is
a fantastic singer. However, the humpback is the loudest of
all his other whale friends. Scientists do research on the
humpback and often imitate their songs in an attempt to
decode the songs.
The Gray Whale
Scientific
Name: Eschrichtius robustus
Status:
Protected Species
Size:
The Gray Whale can grow from between 45-50 feet and
weigh up to 36 tons!
Found
in: The uppermost layer of the pelagic zone, but must dive
down to the bottom of the ocean to feed.
Diet:
Plankton, mollusks, and crustaceans are the basis of the
Gray
Whale's diet. They dive down to the bottom of the ocean
and suck these animals right out of the sediment!
Human Response:
In the past, gray whales were hunted for many
things that humans needed from their bodies, such as blubber
and their bones. They are recovering from that time, and are
now are considered a protected species, which is a step above
endangered.
