(News Trust of India) : The blue whale, a creature of unimaginable size, continues to astound scientists and capture the human imagination. This gentle giant, the largest animal alive, boasts a heart that weighs more than 1,300 pounds (590 kg) – the size of a small car! Despite its immense size, this heart beats at a slow and steady pace of 8 to 10 times per minute, but the power of each beat is enough to be heard from over 2 miles (3.2 km) away. Imagine the incredible blood flow required to sustain such a massive body – the blue whale’s arteries are wide enough for a human to swim through!
Even as newborns, blue whales hint at their future grandeur. Calves enter the world at a staggering 25 feet (7.6 meters) long – already exceeding the size of a full-grown adult killer whale! Fueled by a daily diet of up to 150 gallons (568 liters) of their mother’s milk, these youngsters experience phenomenal growth spurts, gaining an average of 200 pounds (90 kg) per day in their first year.
As adults, blue whales transition from a milk diet to a buffet of krill, tiny shrimp-like creatures. To maintain their immense size, these whales consume a staggering 4 to 6 tons of krill every day! With a maximum length of 110 feet (33 meters) and a weight reaching up to 180 tons, the blue whale truly dwarfs all other animals.
Perhaps the most awe-inspiring fact: this magnificent creature isn’t a relic of a bygone era. The blue whale, the largest animal to ever grace our planet, swims amongst us today, a powerful reminder of the wonders that still exist in our vast oceans.
