| Experts believe the Blue Whale is largest living | | | | Blue Whale. It takes around one metric tonne of krill to |
| creature to ever breathe on our planet. Scientists and | | | | fill a blue whales stomach and they can devour three |
| oceanographers are constantly carrying out research | | | | and a half tonnes of these small shrimp-like |
| on them in attempt to assist in the survival of this | | | | crustaceans every day. |
| magnificent creature. The Eastern North Pacific Blue | | | | The Costa Rica Dome offers more than just food for |
| Whale population estimated at a little over 2000 | | | | these giants of the ocean. The tropical water acts like |
| represents the largest remaining Blue Whale population | | | | an aquatic crib for many of the young of other |
| on earth. Scientists can track them during the winter | | | | species of fish. In such an environment the combination |
| migration south to the places where they give birth | | | | of comfort and an abundant food supply lends itself to |
| somewhere in the tropics. The Costa Rica Dome | | | | being an ideal nursery for Blue Whales. |
| provides the ideal environment for a nursery for the | | | | It takes weeks for the Blue Whales to reach the |
| baby Blue Whales. Blue Whales are the worlds largest | | | | Costa Rica Dome after leaving California waters. |
| baleen whale, the worlds largest mammal, the worlds | | | | Pregnant females arrive at the end of their last |
| largest animal, the worlds largest predator and experts | | | | trimester. After seven months the fetus of the Blue |
| believe largest living creature to ever breathe on our | | | | Whale is four meters long. Over the next few months |
| planet. Scientists and oceanographers are constantly | | | | the Baby Blue will grow two and a half centimeters |
| carrying out research on them in attempt to assist in | | | | each day. |
| the survival of this magnificent creature. | | | | Experts on Blue Whales suggest that these babies are |
| There are nine distinct Blue Whale populations in the | | | | born sometime in January. A birth of a Baby Blue |
| world. The Eastern North Pacific Blue Whale population | | | | Whale must happen very quickly just below the |
| estimated at a little over 2000 represents the largest | | | | surface of the ocean. A new born whale would |
| remaining Blue Whale population on earth. They can be | | | | emerge back end first. Fast clotting of the whales |
| seen off the coast of California and they migrate from | | | | blood inhibits bleeding as that would attract predators. |
| north to south and back again every year. Until recent | | | | Whales are mammals. They are warm-blooded, have |
| times one of the greatest mysteries of the sea was | | | | lungs rather than gills and they breathe air. A baby |
| where are these type of baleen whales born? The | | | | must be able to swim to the surface just moments |
| best way to protect them is to discover where they | | | | after birth. |
| breed and learn what they will encounter during their | | | | Blue Whale infants are the largest babies in the history |
| migration. | | | | of life on earth. They nurse for about seven months |
| In California, Blue Whales are often seen in pairs. | | | | nourishing its young with milk until they double in size. |
| Scientists attach tags to lead animals as they are | | | | Their milk is very rich and is about forty percent fat. |
| suspected as females and they can track them during | | | | The calves drink nearly two hundred liters of milk and |
| the winter migration south. These satellite tags lead | | | | each gain over one hundred kilograms every day. |
| researchers to the places where they give birth | | | | The time comes for the migration north and the |
| somewhere in the tropics. One such place of choice | | | | mother will take her baby to the krill beds. The mother |
| for the Eastern North Pacific Blue Whale is the Costa | | | | swims underneath allowing the baby to rest close to |
| Rica Dome. | | | | the surface. Blue Whales struggle to become adults |
| The Costa Rica Dome is a phenomenon of wind and | | | | and need ten years to reach full maturity. |
| currents. It is a thousand square kilometers of open | | | | During their migration north, they will swim from |
| ocean where cold water from the deep rises to just | | | | tranquility into peril. Some of the higher density areas |
| below the warm tropical surface. Wind and currents | | | | that Blue Whales use and return through every |
| push the warm water aside to allow for the rising of | | | | summer to feed are intersecting with areas of |
| the nutrient rich cold water. The boundary between | | | | increasing shipping traffic. This is the recipe for disaster |
| these temperatures represent the shape of a dome. | | | | for the whales. Ships strikes pose the biggest threats |
| Its position changes from year to year and is | | | | to the baby Blue Whales and the research from |
| constantly moving. The combination of warm and cold | | | | dedicated scientists offers the best hope for new |
| water makes the perfect habitat for Blue Whales. | | | | shipping paths that will give whales the space they |
| Cold water is often rich with nutrients with plankton | | | | need. |
| and krill which makes up nearly all of the diet of the | | | | |