Whale Vs Blue Whale: Who Wins And Comparative Analysis

Whales are of various types, with blue whales being the biggest one among them. Let us find out more about whales and blue whales.

Whales are majestic aquatic animals that can be either toothed or equipped with baleen plates, whereas blue whales solely have baleen plates. Besides, blue whales have a distinct blue-gray coloring, unlike most whale species that carry darker hues. In addition, blue whales have smaller dorsal fins than most whales. 

There are a lot of questions frequently asked about whales and blue whales. People are often curious to explore, in depth, the difference between whales and blue whales. Let us take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions in this regard. 

Image Credits: “Blue Whales on the Surface by Dan Shapiro (NOAA)” by pingnews.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0

What makes blue whales different from other whales?

There are different whale species around the globe, and they have unique characteristics. Let’s check out what makes blue whales different.

Blue whales are characterized by their unique gray-blue coloration, whereas most whales are usually gray, brown, or black with hints of blue. Besides, blue whales are bigger than any other whale variety and can grow up to 110 feet. They also have a smaller dorsal fin and weigh heavier than any other animal on earth. 

Unlike other whales, which feed on fishes, crustaceans, and other such animals, blue whales have a diet that is solely made up of krill. Although they might sometimes eat plankton and smaller fishes, they mostly stick to krill.

Whale vs. blue whale teeth

Image Credits: “File:Baleen Plate of Bryde’s Whale.JPG” by SSR2000 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

One of the most interesting points of distinction between whales and blue whales is their teeth. Allow us to tell you more in this regard.

Some whale varieties, such as the beaked whales, have teeth, whereas blue whales have baleen plates. While toothed whales can bite into their food and actively hunt like sharks for squid, fishes, and sea creatures, baleen whales take water into their mouth and push it out after filtering the food out through their baleen. 

Baleen essentially is a filter-feeding system, but toothed sharks have the added advantage of being able to bite into their prey and are therefore active hunters.

Whale vs. blue whale behavior 

Image Credits: “DSC09187 – Killer Whale” by archer10 (Dennis) is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Whales are generally believed to be non-threatening to humans. Allow us to tell you more about the behavior patterns of whales and blue whales.

Most whale varieties, including blue whales, are not aggressive unless threatened or provoked. However, killer whales can be quite aggressive and are apex predators. Since they have no natural predators, these whales can hunt and harm various animals, humans, and even blue whales. 

As such, although most whales pose no threat to humans, one must be careful around them. They can easily feel threatened by you and react aggressively.

Whale vs. blue whale diet

Whales are large animals with a very specific diet requirement. Let us together learn more about the diet of whales and blue whales.

Whales eat a wide variety of items such as krill and plankton. Toothed whales also eat crustaceans, squid, octopuses, and fish. However, blue whales prefer consuming only krill. Although they occasionally eat fish too. They use their baleen plates to sift through up to four tonnes of krill per day. 

Blue whales are known as filter feeders, and since they are such large animals, they need more food. Therefore, they take in large volumes of water at one go and filter their food.

Whale vs. blue whale habitat

Blue whales have a habitat requirement that differs from whales in general. Let us together explore more in this regard.

Most whales live either in the open ocean or around continental shelves, whereas blue whales are commonly found in oceans across the globe. One common point of similarity between whales and blue whales is that they are not able to thrive in arctic regions. Therefore, they usually migrate to warmer regions during peak winter months.

 Some whale varieties do not migrate at all. For example, the bowheads, belugas, and narwhals live in the arctic region throughout the year.

Megalodon vs. blue whale

Megalodon and blue whales are two of the most popular aquatic species out there. Let us learn more about them.

Megalodons are sharks, whereas blue whales belong to the whale species. Also, blue whales are bigger than Megalodon, weighing around 100-200 tonnes, whereas Megalodons weigh around 50 tonnes on average. Besides, Megalodons are toothed animals, and blue whales are species with baleen plates and no teeth. 

Despite their differences, these two animals are fierce species that are considered giants of the marine world.

Fin whale vs. blue whale

Image Credits: “Fin Whale” by Scott Heron is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Fin whales and blue whales are two popular whale species. Let us learn the basic difference between them.

Fin whales have a sleeker appearance than blue whales with a distinct black-brown coloring, whereas blue whales have a unique blue coloration. Besides, fin whales may sometimes appear bigger than blue whales since they are slightly fuller. In addition, they have bigger dorsal fins.

We must mention here that fin whales aren’t far behind when it comes to size. Although blue whales are the largest animals, fin whales are considered the second largest species.

Conclusion 

Blue whales are magnificent aquatic animals with a distinct appearance, color, and diet requirements. Over the years, they have been frequently exploited for commercial gains, and environmentalists have encouraged divers and government bodies to take suitable measures to prevent blatant exploitation and endangering of the animal. Whales, in general, fall victim to commercial activities and are frequently exploited for their baleen plates, meat, and oil. However, the scenario is changing today, with measures being taken to preserve this species.

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