Why blue whales are endangered

For perspective, this is equivalent of the length of three school buses! Blue whales are found in every single ocean except the Arctic Ocean. There are five currently recognized subspecies of blue whales including the northern blue whale, the southern blue whale, the Indian ocean blue whale and the pygmy blue whale. Unfortunately, the blue whale species is on the federally endangered species list and has been for many years. To answer why blue whales are endangered, we will cover a brief history of blue whale endangerment as well as the threats this species faces today.

Blue whales became endangered in The blue whale was driven to extinction by commercial whaling in the s and early s. Whaling is the hunting and killing of whales for their usable products such as their meat and blubber that can actually be turned into a type of oil. This was particularly important during the Industrial Revolution. By the 16 th century, the commercial whaling industry began in coastal regions in Spain and France and quickly spread throughout the world.

The industry continued to grow well into the 20 th century and was very profitable in terms of trade and resources. This led many countries to start banning whaling in the early s until worldwide cessation by The blue whale species was protected from commercial whaling by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling in Due to their enormous size and mass, blue whales have no natural predators on earth. They are only endangered through man-made causes.

With the rise of factory ships, blue whale populations plummeted. They are now protected internationally by a moratorium on whaling, and their numbers are rising.

Ship noise, entanglement, and collisions may affect them in areas with high human activity, but occurrences of these events are rare. The effect that climate change will have on blue whales is uncertain. In addition to being the biggest, blue whales are also one of the loudest animals on Earth. Their songs can reach nearly decibels louder than a jet engine. Leighton Taylor and Associates: St. Helena, CA A groundbreaking bipartisan bill aims to address the looming wildlife crisis before it's too late, while creating sorely needed jobs.

More than one-third of U. We're on the ground in seven regions across the country, collaborating with 52 state and territory affiliates to reverse the crisis and ensure wildlife thrive.

Uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world. Inspire a lifelong connection with wildlife and wild places through our children's publications, products, and activities. In 4 seconds , you will be redirected to nwfactionfund. The National Wildlife Federation. Blue Whale. Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus Status: Endangered. Classification: Mammal. Description Blue whales get their name from their gray to blue coloration.

Range These whales are distributed globally, including off both coasts of the continental United States. Diet Despite their huge size, blue whales feed on relatively small prey, primarily tiny shrimp-like animals called krill. Behavior Blue whales tend to be more solitary than other whale species. The health of their population has implications for the health our coastal ecosystems. The blue whale is a large baleen whale. The largest animal alive and probably the largest animal that has ever existed, the blue whale has reached lengths greater than feet and has reached weights of about tons, although it averages 70 to 90 feet and weights of to tons.

The largest individual measured feet long and nearly tons. As with other baleen whales, the female is larger than the male. The blue whale's skin is light bluish gray and mottled with gray or grayish-white; it appears distinctly blue when seen through the water. Underneath, the belly sometimes has a yellowish tinge as a result of diatoms that have attached themselves in cold water; hence the nickname "Sulphur Bottom Whale.

Almost U-shaped, the broad, flat rostrum or snout has a single median dorsal ridge. The pectoral flippers are long and thin, while the dorsal fin is very small and far back. Instead of teeth, it has great plates of horny baleen which extend from the upper jaw. These are used to strain food from large mouthfuls of water.

It has two blowholes and the blow is high and columnar. Like the fin whale and unlike the sei whale the blowholes appear before not with the dorsal fin as the whale surfaces. Distribution and Habitat Blue whales live within all of the major oceans of the world, primarily in temperate and polar waters. Their migration patterns are poorly understood compared to some whale species, such as the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae.

It appears that blue whales may follow a similar migration as humpbacks within the western North Atlantic Ocean, feeding during spring, summer, and fall in northern latitudes and then spending the winter in the West Indies. Some individuals, however, may remain in their feeding grounds year-round. Within the North Atlantic Ocean, blue whales are typically found off the coast of Greenland and eastern Canada in the summer and may be found as far south as Cape Cod. Their winter distribution is less well-known but some individuals have been observed in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

They typically are not seen over the continental shelf, preferring deeper waters. According to the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Program, there are no sightings currently documented within New Jersey waters for this species.

Blue whales primarily feed almost exclusively on tiny crustaceans known as krill. They feed by filter feeding with their mouthful of baleen. They do so by taking a large mouthful of both prey and water, closing their mouth, and then pushing the water out of their mouth using their enormous tongue.

The prey items are then left within the mouth, trapped by the strips of baleen, and ready to be swallowed. Blue whales may also prey on small fish, but this is a small portion of their diet compared to krill. Life Cycle During the summer, blue whales will spend most of their time feeding and building-up fat in the cold waters of the North Atlantic.

These fat stores will be necessary for the long migration to their winter breeding and calving grounds. The winter breeding grounds are most likely located in warmer subtropical or tropical waters. Mating, as well as the birth of calves, occurs during the winter.