How Much Does a Blue Whale Eat?

The mouth of an adult blue whale opens to almost 10 feet (3 m) wide, allowing it to take in significant amounts of food in a single swallow. Ribbed structures on a blue whale's upper jaw can trap small sea animals, which the blue whale then swallows for sustenance. The amount of food that can be trapped when a blue whale takes a gulp of water is as much as 1,102 pounds (500 kg), providing the whale with about 500,000 calories.

More about the blue whale:

• Nobody has ever been able to weigh an entire blue whale at one time, because of its exceptional size. Instead, people have had to weigh parts of dead whales and then add the weights to arrive at a single figure for the whole animal.


• The average adult blue whale weighs about 200 tons (180 metric tons) and is 94 feet (30 m) long.


• An adult blue whale's tongue can weigh as much as an adult elephant.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much food does a blue whale consume in a day?

On average, a blue whale eats about 8,000 pounds (or approximately 3.6 metric tons) of krill per day during feeding season. This massive intake is necessary to sustain their energy needs and is facilitated by their baleen plates, which filter food from the water.

What is the main diet of a blue whale?

The blue whale's diet consists almost exclusively of small shrimp-like animals called krill. During feeding season, these giants of the ocean can consume up to 40 million krill daily, according to the World Wildlife Fund, to meet their substantial dietary requirements.

How does a blue whale eat such large amounts of food?

Blue whales are filter feeders. They take in huge volumes of water rich with krill, then push the water out through their baleen plates, trapping the krill inside. This efficient feeding mechanism allows them to consume the large quantities of food required to maintain their size and energy.

Do blue whales eat year-round?

Blue whales typically feed intensively during the summer months in polar regions, building up fat reserves. They eat less or may fast during their migration to warmer waters in the winter, relying on their energy reserves, as food sources are scarcer in these breeding grounds.

How does the blue whale's diet affect its migration patterns?

The blue whale's migration is closely linked to its feeding habits. They travel to cold, nutrient-rich polar waters to feed on the abundant krill during the summer. When winter approaches and daylight wanes, reducing krill populations, they migrate to warmer waters to breed and give birth, living off their fat reserves.

Can changes in the ocean environment impact a blue whale's food intake?

Yes, changes in the ocean environment, such as warming temperatures and acidification, can significantly impact krill populations, which in turn affects the blue whale's food intake. Conservation efforts are crucial to ensure these majestic creatures have sufficient food to maintain their populations, as highlighted by marine biologists and ecologists.