[CINC] Fwd: Single Whale Swallow: Half a Million Calories

[Kenneth A. Tatro]

Very interesting.  However, neither article gave a calculated quantity of Krill in a given mouth full of water. That quite likely would vary, mouth full to mouth full, and be very dependent on the size and density of the Krill mass, the accuracy of the whale lunging at that mass, striking the more dense or lessor dense portion of the Krill mass as it swirls to get away.

We see both large and small Krill masses in the channel, thus effecting the amount of Krill take, mouth full to mouth full, as well.

I assume we are talking about an average adult Blue Whale, as a juvenile's mouth will be correspondingly smaller, yielding a smaller take per mouth full.

So, from what these two articles present, we do not know the density of the Krill in the given mouth full, thus difficult to calculate, with any sense of accuracy, the calorie intake per mouth full.

Somehow, some assumptions of quantity of Krill in that mouth full of water needs to be made, if they did not do so already, and it just did not show up in these brief articles.   As we understand it the water is pushed out, leaving the Krill caught in the Baleen.

These guys are on the trail, though. We look forward to more information as they gather it in.

Thanks Catherine, interesting stuff, and love to pass it on to the folks on the WWs as we get it in.

Ken Tatro

   
On Dec 9, 2010, at 5:19 PM, Catherine French wrote:

> Here's something to "digest" about blue whales!
> 
> Calm seas,
> 
> Catherine French
> 
> Writer, naturalist
> 805.570.0432
> 
> Sent from i love my iPad
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
>> From: Lee Fleischer <captlee48 at aol.com>
>> Date: December 9, 2010 4:58:33 PM PST
>> To: Catherine French <cfrench1366 at aol.com>
>> Subject: Single Whale Swallow: Half a Million Calories
>> 
>> By Wynne Parry This story originally appeared on LiveScience.com The filter-feeding strategy of blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, m... 
>> 
>> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20025138-501465.html 
>> 
>> Sent from CBS News on iPhone 
>> 
>> Download CBSNews for iPhone: Here
>> 
>> 
>> Lee Fleischer
>> Captlee48 at aol.com
>> 805.452.4338 (cell)
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> =
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