Facts about Fin Whale

1. 09

   A fin whale's lifespan can exceed 90 years, as determined by counting waxy earplugs that accumulate annual growth layers.

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2. 08

   Remarkably, fin whales possess a specialized feeding technique called lunging, where they accelerate beneath prey schools at high speed and engulf up to 500 gallons of water in one gulp.

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3. 07

   Only one fin whale population inhabits the North Atlantic, while two distinct populations migrate separately in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.

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4. 06

   During migration, fin whales travel approximately 12,000 miles annually between Arctic feeding grounds and tropical breeding waters.

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5. 05

   Between 80 and 90 percent of a fin whale's diet consists of krill, particularly Antarctic species measuring only 2 inches long.

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6. 04

   Fin whales produce calls reaching 188 decibels underwater, among the loudest sounds made by any animal on Earth.

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7. 03

   Asymmetrical coloring on the fin whale's right side appears darker than its left, a unique feature among all cetacean species.

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8. 02

   At up to 85 feet long, fin whales are the second-largest animals ever to exist, surpassed only by blue whales.

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9. 01

   The fin whale can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour, making it the fastest whale species in the world's oceans.

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