Mammal / Balaenoptera musculus
Blue Whale
High risk of extinction in the wild
Vagrant
The blue whale is a marine mammal belonging to the baleen whale suborder Mysticeti. Reaching a maximum confirmed length of 29.9 meters and weight of 173 tonnes, it is the largest animal known to have ever existed. The blue whale’s long and slender body can be various shades of grayish-blue dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath.
- Range mass
- 190000 (high) kg
- Average mass
- 190000 kg
- Range length
- 33.5 (high) m
- Average length
- 25-27 m
- Breeding interval
- Females give birth to young every 2 to 3 years.
- Breeding season
- Breeding occurs during the winter months.
- Average number of offspring
- 1
- Average number of offspring
- 1
- Range gestation period
- 11 to 12 months
- Range weaning age
- 7 to 8 months
- Range time to independence
- 2 to 3 years
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
- 5 years
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female - 1827 days
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
- 5 years
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male - 1827 days
- Average lifespan
Status: wild - 80-90 years
- Typical lifespan
Status: wild - 80 to 90 years
Fox, D. 2002. "Balaenoptera musculus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed November 10, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Balaenoptera_musculus/
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