Blue Whale run over

[Orleander]

Do whales run into other whales? Why haven't they come to recognize those big noisy things on top of the water as dangerous?

]On Monday, Cordaro received a report from a ship mapping the seafloor for the fisheries service. The researchers had "felt a shudder underneath the ship" about 7 miles (11 kilometers) from shore.

Soon after, a whale surfaced, bleeding profusely, Cordaro said. Several hours later, the beached blue whale was spotted near the city of Fort Bragg.

Given the evidence—timing, location, a fresh propeller wound—Cordaro said, "I don't think there's any doubt" that the mapping ship is the culprit....

 

[Enmos]

Sad..
I read somewhere that sonar can confuse and disorientate whales.
That might have happend here.

 

[ejderha]

Oh, NO. How beautiful they are...

 

[christa]

that thing is HUGE

 

[Enmos]

that thing is HUGE

Blue Whales are the largest animals ever known to have existed

 

[ejderha]

Blue Whales are the largest animals ever known to have existed

You sound so sexy in teaching mood.

 

[skaught]

Blue Whales are the largest animals ever known to have existed

Certainly there were dinosaurs that were much bigger no?

 

[one_raven]

I ran over a blue whale once. Totaled my car.

 

[one_raven]

Certainly there were dinosaurs that were much bigger no?

Nope

 

[ejderha]

Certainly there were dinosaurs that were much bigger no?

I don't think so. How can an animal get that big or bigger on land. I am guessing Blue whales are that big 'cause they live in the sea? Cartilage like bones?

Enmos: I was joking for goodness sake.

 

[christa]

i know they are biggest! but look at him!! How insane right!! its crazy to think of all animals in the sea... its just crazy

 

[ejderha]

i know they are biggest! but look at him!! How insane right!! its crazy to think of all animals in the sea... its just crazy

Aren't they beautiful though? "Gentle Giants"

 

[Orleander]

why don't they have a guard over the propeller? Same as a house fan?
Seems like an easy solution to a sad problem.

 

[christa]

why don't they have a guard over the propeller? Same as a house fan?
Seems like an easy solution to a sad problem.

ya, but people dont use common since alot

 

[nietzschefan]

Certainly there were dinosaurs that were much bigger no?

Nope.

I'm constantly in wonder that kids are freaked out and amazed more by Dinos than whales.

That actually looks like a "small" blue whale.

My favorite animal. bummer

 

[Enmos]

Enmos: I was joking for goodness sake.

You expected a reply? I didn't see it yesterday. There's no problem

why don't they have a guard over the propeller? Same as a house fan?
Seems like an easy solution to a sad problem.

I agree.

 

[ejderha]

You expected a reply? I didn't see it yesterday. There's no problem

Naah, not an actual reply. Let's politely say I interacted too many weird people.

 

[ejderha]

Nope.

I'm constantly in wonder that kids are freaked out and amazed more by Dinos than whales.

That actually looks like a "small" blue whale.

My favorite animal. bummer

I guess, sea and sea animals seem more scary to people than long gone giant carnivorous reptiles. It's benign and under the sea. You should get wet and cold to have a look at it really.

Looking at animals does something to me. Ina good enigmatic sense. I've never seen closer, but even documentaries were enough.

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

I don't think so. How can an animal get that big or bigger on land. I am guessing Blue whales are that big 'cause they live in the sea? Cartilage like bones?

No, they have bones like all mammals. The only vertebrates that have cartilage instead of bones are the cartilaginous fishes, which include sharks, eels, rays and other very primitive animals with skeletons. True fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals all have bony skeletons. Whales are artiodactyls, related to cattle, giraffes, camels, pigs, deer, etc. They are descended from primitive hippopotamuses who swam all the way down the river to the sea and liked it there.

Whales can grow so large because water pressure (the buoyancy of the water) supports them evenly across their entire bottom surface. If they lived on land it would be impossible to support all of that weight on legs--because mass increases as the cube of linear dimension whereas muscle strength only increases as the square. And even if it were possible, the huge swath of body hanging between the front legs and rear legs would have to be held up by the spine, and that would also be impossible.

Collisions between ships and the really large whale species are very unusual. As noted already, they have excellent hearing, they're really smart, and they can swim very fast. I'm sure they're doing an autopsy as we speak, and this guy will probably turn out to be sick.

And yes, cetaceans are harmed by sonar. The U.S. Navy has been in an ongoing dispute over its practice of holding maneuvers off the coast of California during whale migration season. As usual, the government figures it can do whatever the hell it wants.

Blue whales grow to just over 100 feet long (35m). Compared to the humans in the photo that one looks more like 70 feet. Maybe he's a juvenile or maybe he was sick and undernourished.

 

[ejderha]

Thank you, Fraggle Rocker.