Today, I was fascinated by blue whales. Here are a few fun facts about this majestic creature.
The blue whale is the largest animal ever known (including dinosaurs), and can grow to sizes of 180 tons. Their tongue alone can weigh close to 3 tons, which is close in size to adult male Asian elephants (ranging from 2-5 tons). Amazing.
A blue whale song or communication can reach 188 decibels in volume. Front row at the rock concert (110 db), a military jet taking off (140 db) and instant perforation of the ear drum (160 db) are all quieter than a blue whale trying to start a conversation. Do not grab a seat next a chatty blue whale at the (sand)bar.
It is estimated that only 5000-12,000 blue whales remain today, due to hunting and whaling. Before whaling began in the late 19th century, it is estimated that there were close to 300,000 blue whales on Earth.