We answer the very popular children's question: "How much does the whale weigh?"

All children are very inquisitive. They ask questions that never come to the mind of an adult. For example, they often ask the following: "How much does the whale weigh?", "How much does an elephant weigh?" Or "Who is stronger - a whale or a shark?". Agree, such questions are lost to most adults. After all, few people remember the school course of zoology, and in adulthood for such "little things" as information about how much the whale weighs, there simply is not room. This article will be useful for parents of such little investigators. We will consider how much the blue whale weighs , how much it is blue (and also other representatives of cetaceans), which one is the largest, what the above-mentioned giants differ from each other. We will also discuss other issues related to these inhabitants of the underwater kingdom.

Types of marine mammals

There is a huge variety of whales, but they are all divided into two groups: moustached and toothed. As can be understood from the title, the difference between them is the presence of teeth in the jaws of these animals. The largest representative of the second group is the sperm whale. In our country these mammals can be found in the Far Eastern seas. In addition, beluga whales and narwhals include whales, they are found in the depths of the northern waters. Whales are considered to be the most formidable whips. Despite their relatively small size (8-10 meters), they attack seals, seals and even the whales themselves, who prefer to throw themselves ashore, rather than die from the teeth of such a fierce opponent.

To the first group of cetaceans (baleen) are smooth, minke whales and gray. The largest representatives of this species are fin whales, sei whales and blue (the largest among all the named whales). Finals are in second place, their length is 22 meters. They differ from minke whales by the fact that their right side is white, and the left side is black. The group of moustached giants also includes gray whales, they are inferior in size to minke whales, but are capable of making the longest migrations. Every year in autumn these animals swim several thousand kilometers from the habitual pastures of the Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea to the California lagoons, where they reproduce.

And now let's consider the largest representatives of both groups and find out how much the biggest whale weighs .

Sperm whale

The length of this animal reaches 20 meters. The weight of an adult male is 50-70 tons, and females - 30 tons. His favorite food is cuttlefish and giant squid. It is interesting that in the sperm whales the head resembles the helmet of a diver, that is, there is a very complex valve system and a kind of sack in which the animal collects air reserves. Due to this structure the sperm whale can be at a great depth up to two hours.

How much does a blue whale weigh?

These mammals are the largest animals not only from the family of whales, but also among all living things on our planet. The blue whale can reach a length of 33 meters, and its weight often approaches the 200-ton mark. The calf of the said animal at the birth reaches eight meters, and for one feeding it is able to drink up to a hundred liters of milk.

The main difference of the blue whale is the longitudinal folds, extending from the jaw to the stomach. They are capable of stretching, like the furs of a harmonica, which allows an animal to collect a large amount of water with food into the oral cavity. For statisticians who want to know not only how much the whale weighs, but also the mass of its individual organs, we will give the following information. In an adult specimen of a blue whale, the tongue weighs three tons, the liver - one ton, the heart - 700 kilograms. In the body of this animal there are ten tons of blood, the diameter of its dorsal artery reaches 40 cm, the stomach is able to contain 1-2 tons of food, the size of the mouth is about 24 m ² . If your child asks you how much the blue whale weighs, then you should know: this is the second name of the blue whale; in addition, it can also be called a yellow-whale whale and a large minke.

It is interesting

All whales can easily distinguish between each other, but for a person this is a very difficult task. However, scientists still could find an opportunity to distinguish these giant animals. It turns out that whale tails are completely individual, and if compared with a person, then this sign is correlated with fingerprints. They clearly visible cuts, furrows and scars from the teeth of killer whales, spots left by algae. All this creates a unique pattern inherent in each individual.

Conclusion

Because of unreasonable actions of the person every year whale populations are reduced, because fishing on these animals gives huge profits. These mammals are valued by a fat waxy substance - spermaceti. It serves as a raw material for ointments, cosmetic creams and candles. But the most valuable is ambergris. It is used as a fixer for the delicate aromas of the most exquisite perfume. Whale oil and bone meal are also in great demand.