National Marine Conservation Areas of Canada

Canada’s National Marine Conservation Areas System Plan

Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

The largest animal ever to inhabit the earth, blue whales are 20-30 m in length and can weigh up to 130 metric tons, though the average is about 73 tons - equivalent to some 15-20 African elephants. Newborn calves are 7 m long and weigh 2500 kg, gaining about 90 kg a day. Blue whales also make the loudest noise of any animal, comparable to the roar of the rocket that launches the space shuttle, and may be heard thousands of kilometres away. They feed primarily on copepods and euphausiids (krill), small shrimp-like animals less than 3 cm long. Straining 20 tons of water at a time, blue whales will devour 5-7 tons of them a day! Blue whales are a widespread species, found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Antarctic oceans. Normally found far offshore, blue whales are commonly seen near the coast along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River and Gulf of St. Lawrence.