Blue Whale: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Whale Week · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. Deep down, a blue whale's heart can slow to just 2 beats a minute. Back at the surface it speeds up to 37.
2. A blue whale has two blowholes, and its spout can shoot 9 to 12 m into the air.
3. Blue whale calves grow fast: a newborn puts on about 90 kg a day.
4. Blue whales feed on krill by lunging at it. They may engulf 220 t of water at one time.
5. Blue whale calls are among the loudest in the animal kingdom, up to 188 dB.

The quiz

1. How low can a blue whale's heart rate drop at deep depths?

• 20 beats per minute
• 37 beats per minute
• 2 beats per minute (correct)
• 12 beats per minute

Deep down, its heart can slow to just 2 beats a minute.

2. How high can a blue whale's plume reach?

• Up to 12 m (correct)
• Up to 2 m
• Up to 5 m
• Up to 39 m

Its spout can shoot 9 to 12 m into the air.

3. How much weight does a newborn blue whale calf gain per day?

• About 2 kg
• About 9 kg
• About 220 kg
• About 90 kg (correct)

A newborn puts on about 90 kg a day.

4. How much water may a blue whale engulf at one time?

• 2 t
• 220 t (correct)
• 12 t
• 90 t

They may engulf 220 t of water at one time while lunge feeding on krill.

5. How loud can a blue whale call get?

• 37 dB
• 88 dB
• 188 dB (correct)
• 25 dB

The maximum loudness of blue whale calls is 188 dB.

More about the Blue Whale

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries