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Do blue whales look after their young?
Like all whales, blue whales are mammals and give live birth to very large calves that they nurse for six or seven months. All of the record blue whales (by size) are females. Males do not provide parental care and do not seem to live near the females/young for most of the year.
Do baby whales nurse from their mother?
Baby whales, like all young mammals, rely on their mother’s milk for their early development. A new video follows a nursing humpback whale and her calf and takes the calf’s point of view as it positions itself beneath its mom and begins nursing.
How do blue whales take care of their babies?
The best known maternal care in whales is where the female places the calf close to her side while swimming. In this position, called “echelon”, the calf takes advantage of it’s mother’s wake the same way a cyclist at the head of the group makes it easier on those trailing behind.
Where do blue whales have their babies?
Many females give birth in the warm waters of the southernmost leg of their journey, but research has not yet delivered a clear picture of the larger trends in blue whale reproduction.
How long do whales look after their young?
Depending on the species of whale, some young can stay nursing for up to two years! The milk of the mother is a very high concentration of fat to help ensure that the baby is able to get a really thick layer of blubber, which is like fat, that helps with the insulation.
How long do baby whales stay with their mom?
Mothers are protective and affectionate towards their calves, swimming close and frequently touching them with their flippers. Weaning occurs between 6 and 10 months after birth, but calves may stay with the mother for up to a year after which they will separate.
How long do blue whales stay pregnant?
10 – 12 months
Blue whale/Gestation period
Do whales look after their young?
Mother humpback whales take care of their babies because the babies wouldn’t survive without the help and protection of their mothers. When the whale is born the first thing the mother has to do is bring the baby whale to the surface so that it can take its first breath of fresh air.
What do killer whales look like after birth?
In the first few days after birth, the dorsal fin and tail flukes are flexible and pliable. They gradually stiffen. The light areas of some young killer whales may be creamy white to pale yellow or tan rather than white.
How big are newborn blue whales when they are born?
A calf’s birth weight is about 3% to 4% of its mother’s weight. The smallest baleen whale calves – at about 1.5 m (5 ft) – are newborn pygmy right whales. Newborn blue whale calves are about 7 m (23 ft) long and weigh about 2,700 to 3,600 kg (6,000 to 8,000 lbs.).
What kind of shape does a blue whale have?
The gentle giant of the sea, the blue whale is instantly recognisable with a long, streamlined shape, mottled blue or grey back and pale underbelly. They each have huge heads that are broad, long and have a unique U-shaped arch, and can reach up to a quarter of their body lengths in size.
How is the blue whale related to the gray whale?
Only the best quizmasters will finish it. The blue whale is a cetacean and is classified scientifically within the order Cetacea as a rorqual (family Balaenopteridae) related to the gray whale (family Eschrichtiidae) and the right whales (Balaenidae and Neobalaenidae) of the baleen whale suborder, Mysticeti.