Can a Blue Whale Swallow a Person Whole?

With an average weight of 110 tons (the same as around 22 African elephants), the blue whale is currently believed to be the heaviest animal that has ever existed on Earth. The blue whale has a pleated throat, allowing its mouth to expand and hold up to 90 tons of water.

However, blue whales only consume tiny sea creatures, such as shrimp-like krill, which they filter from seawater through bristles called baleen.

While it is possible that a blue whale could accidentally suck a human into its mouth, this has never been recorded. If it did happen, the whale would not be able to swallow an adult human as the passage through which food passes to its stomach averages only one foot (about a third of a meter) in diameter.

More about blue whales:

• While the maximum recorded weight for a blue whale is currently about 190 tons, this specimen was only 30 meters (close to 100 feet) long. Longer whales have been seen but have not been officially weighed.
• At birth, a blue whale weighs as much as a fully grown hippopotamus. While still drinking its mother's milk, it can gain almost 5 kilos (about 10 pounds) per hour.
• The current worldwide population of blue whales is unknown, but was estimated in 2002 to be between 5000 and 12,000 animals, and the species is classified as endangered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a blue whale swallow a person whole?

No, a blue whale cannot swallow a person whole. Despite being the largest animal on Earth, a blue whale's throat is only about the size of a dinner plate. This anatomical feature restricts them to a diet of small prey like krill, which they consume in massive quantities, filtering through their baleen plates.

What do blue whales eat if they can't swallow large prey?

Blue whales primarily feed on tiny shrimp-like animals called krill. During feeding season, they can consume up to 4 tons of krill a day. They use a method called filter feeding, where they take in large volumes of water rich with krill and then push the water out, trapping the krill on their baleen plates.

How big is a blue whale's mouth compared to its body?

A blue whale's mouth is massive, capable of holding an estimated 90 metric tons of food and water. However, this is still proportionate to their body size. According to the World Wildlife Fund, blue whales can reach lengths of up to 100 feet, making their mouths large but not large enough to swallow a human whole.

Are there any recorded incidents of a blue whale attempting to eat a human?

There are no verified records of a blue whale attempting to eat a human. Blue whales are generally not aggressive towards humans and their feeding habits are well-documented. They feed exclusively on small aquatic life forms, and their physical structure does not support the ingestion of large objects, including humans.

How do blue whales feed differently from other large whales?

Blue whales are baleen whales, which means they have a filter-feeding system. Unlike toothed whales that hunt individual prey, blue whales open their mouths underwater to take in swarms of krill, then expel the water, retaining the food. This efficient method allows them to consume the vast amounts of food needed to sustain their size.

What adaptations do blue whales have for their feeding habits?

Blue whales have several adaptations for their filter-feeding lifestyle. They have baleen plates instead of teeth, which are used to sieve small prey from the water. Their pleated throat grooves allow their mouth to expand when they take in water and prey. Additionally, they have a highly developed sense of hearing to locate swarms of krill.