The Blue Whale’s Tongue. Weighing As Much As A Young Elephant. Imagine a muscle so massive that it weighs as much as a young elephant. Sounds impossible, right? Yet, hidden beneath the ocean’s surface lies a behemoth of a tongue that defies imagination. Belonging to the majestic blue whale, this gargantuan organ is shrouded in mystery, begging the question: what secrets lie behind its enormous size?
What is the blue whale?
Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as an automobile.
Diet of krill
Blue whales reach these mind-boggling dimensions on a diet composed nearly exclusively of tiny shrimplike animals called krill. During certain times of the year, a single adult blue whale consumes about 4 tons of krill a day.
Blue whales are baleen whales, which means they have fringed plates of fingernail-like material, called baleen, attached to their upper jaws. The giant animals feed by first gulping an enormous mouthful of water, expanding the pleated skin on their throat and belly to take it in. Then the whale’s massive tongue forces the water out through the thin, overlapping baleen plates. Thousands of krill are left behind—and then swallowed.
Coloring and appearance
Blue whales look true blue underwater, but on the surface, their coloring is more a mottled blue-gray. Their underbellies take on a yellowish hue from the millions of microorganisms that take up residence in their skin. The blue whale has a broad, flat head and a long, tapered body that ends in wide, triangular flukes.
Vocalization and behavior
Blue whales live in all the world’s oceans, except the Arctic, occasionally swimming in small groups but usually alone or in pairs. They often spend summers feeding in polar waters and undertake lengthy migrations towards the Equator as winter arrives.
These graceful swimmers cruise the ocean at more than five miles an hour but accelerate to more than 20 miles an hour when they are agitated. Blue whales are among the loudest animals on the planet. They emit a series of pulses, groans, and moans, and it’s thought that, in good conditions, blue whales can hear each other up to 1,000 miles away. Scientists think they use these vocalizations not only to communicate but, along with their excellent hearing, to sonar-navigate the lightless ocean depths.
Blue whale calves
Calves enter the world already ranking among the planet’s largest creatures. After about a year inside its mother’s womb, a baby blue whale emerges weighing up to 3 tons and stretching to 25 feet. It gorges on nothing but mother’s milk and gains about 200 pounds every day for its first year.
Longevity
Blue whales are among Earth’s longest-lived animals. Scientists have discovered that by counting the layers of a deceased whale’s waxlike earplugs, they can get a close estimate of the animal’s age. The oldest blue whale found using this method was determined to be around 110 years old. The average lifespan is estimated at around 80 to 90 years.
Conservation
Aggressive hunting in the 1900s by whalers seeking whale oil drove them to extinction. Between 1900 and the mid-1960s, some 360,000 blue whales were slaughtered. They finally came under protection with the 1966 International Whaling Commission, but they’ve managed only a minor recovery since then.
Blue whales have few predators but are known to fall victim to attacks by sharks and killer whales, and many are injured or die each year from impacts with large ships.
Anatomical Insights
The blue whale’s tongue is a remarkable example of evolutionary adaptation. Comprising approximately 40% of the whale’s total body weight, it plays a crucial role in feeding and swallowing. This massive muscle allows the whale to consume enormous amounts of krill and small fish, making it one of the most efficient predators in the ocean.
Feeding Habits
But how does the blue whale’s tongue facilitate its feeding habits? The answer lies in its unique lunge-feeding behavior. As the whale accelerates through the water, its tongue expands, creating a vacuum that draws in prey. The tongue then contracts, helping to filter out water and trap the food. This intricate process relies on the tongue’s immense size and strength.
Evolutionary Advantages
So, why did the blue whale’s tongue evolve to be so massive? Scientists suggest that this adaptation provided a critical advantage in the whale’s oceanic environment. By consuming vast amounts of food, blue whales can sustain themselves during long migrations and periods of scarcity. The tongue’s size also enables the whale to feed on a wide variety of prey, from tiny krill to larger fish.
Conservation Implications
Understanding the blue whale’s tongue and its role in feeding habits has significant implications for conservation efforts. As we learn more about these majestic creatures, we can better appreciate the importance of preserving their habitats and protecting their food sources.
Beneath the Surface
Despite its impressive size, the blue whale’s tongue remains an enigma, hidden beneath the ocean’s surface. Continued research and exploration will unravel the secrets of this incredible organ, revealing the intricate relationships between anatomy, behavior, and environment.
