Balaenoptera musculus

Blue Whale

25-30 mètres
80-90 ans
En danger
À propos

Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth — larger than any dinosaur. These magnificent creatures visit the Sea of Cortez between January and March to feed on dense krill aggregations. Loreto and La Paz are prime locations for encounters. Despite their immense size, blue whales are gentle filter feeders, and witnessing one surface alongside your boat — its blow reaching 9 metres high — is a truly humbling experience.

Taille

25-30 mètres (jusqu'à 33m enregistré)

Poids

100,000-150,000 kg (jusqu'à 190 tonnes)

Durée de vie

80-90 ans

Statut

En danger

Où les trouver

Meilleurs sites de plongée

Loreto, Sea Of Cortez, MexiqueLa Paz, MexiqueSri Lanka (mirissa, Trincomalee)Açores, PortugalIslandeMonterey Bay, CalifornieChile

Conseils de plongée

Blue whale encounters are almost always from the surface — snorkelling or boat-based. In-water encounters are extraordinarily rare and should only be attempted with experienced guides. Keep a respectful distance (at least 100 metres by boat). Never swim directly toward a blue whale. The experience of hearing their vocalizations underwater is otherworldly.

Meilleure saison

January to March in the Sea of Cortez

Habitat

All major oceans, migratory. In Mexico: Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California)

Régime alimentaire

Almost exclusively krill — up to 4 tonnes per day during feeding season
Le saviez-vous ?

Faits amusants

1

A blue whale's heart is the size of a small car and beats only 2 times per minute when diving

2

Their tongue alone weighs as much as an elephant (approximately 2,700 kg)

3

Blue whale calves gain about 90 kg per day during their first year of life

4

Their calls at 188 decibels are the loudest sound produced by any animal and can be heard hundreds of kilometres away

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