Blue Whale

The blue whale is a very large baleen whale with a long, streamlined body and mottled blue-gray skin. It feeds mainly on krill, engulfing water and filtering the small crustaceans through baleen plates. It must surface regularly to breathe air. Expandable throat grooves allow a large mouthful of water during feeding. Blue whales occur across major ocean basins, with movements linked to feeding opportunities and reproduction. Calves nurse on rich milk before becoming independent feeders.