Blue whale near the ocean surface. Photo: NOAA Fisheries/Lisa Conger (public domain).
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The blue whale is the largest animal known to have lived on Earth. It can grow to about 30 metres long. Blue whales live in oceans around the world. They are enormous, but they eat very small animals called krill. A blue whale can eat millions of krill in one day. Blue whales breathe air, so they must come to the surface. They make very loud sounds and can communicate across long distances underwater. In the past, people hunted many blue whales. Their numbers fell greatly. Today, blue whales are protected, but they still face dangers such as ship strikes, fishing gear and changes in the ocean.
