Why are blue whales so enormous?

Blue whales are the largest animals on the planet, but what helps them grow to the length of a basketball court?

Grab a pair of headphones and listen carefully to the lesson on the next slide.

​Why Are Blue Whales So Enormous?

Multiple Choice

Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever lived on the planet. They are at least ________ the biggest dinosaurs.

• two times larger than the biggest dinosaurs.

• as big as the biggest dinosaurs.

• 60 times the size of the biggest dinosaurs.

• five times larger than the biggest dinosaurs.

Multiple Choice

Blue whales feed _______.

• exclusively on krill

• only one time per day

• on a variety of small crustaceans (including shrimp, lobster, krill, and crabs)

• only on kelp

Multiple Choice

What percentage of body weight does the whale take in with each gulp, and how is this possible?

• 100%; its mouth stretches the length of it's body

• 50%; its mouth is about the size of a swimming pool

• 125%; its accordion-like mouth stretches to its bellybutton

• 150%; its jaws open much like that of a snake

Multiple Choice

Every mouthful of krill provides the blue whale with _______ calories (the same amount you would get from eating _______ hamburgers).

• 250,000;

  10,250

• 480,000;

  1,900

• 100,000;

  150

• 370,000;

  4,700

Multiple Choice

Based on scientific research, what is the largest a lunge feeder can grow?

• 13 meters

• 33 meters

• 53 meters

• 73 meters

Open Ended

Do some research.

Explain why it requires more energy for a whale to feed than it does for a whale to swim.