Blue Whale Spotted Off Cape Cod

Last week, the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, MA spotted a Blue Whale only 13 nautical miles east of Truro. This is a rare sighting as Blue Whales typically swim through deeper water and spend most of their time up by Canada.

This incredible marine mammal is the largest known animal to exist. Blue Whales can grow up to 100' and can weigh 150 tons! With this said, it's amazing that they feast on some of the smallest forms of marine life. Do you know how many krill, or shrimp-like fish, they have to eat each day to bulk up? Approximately, 8,000 pounds!

The Northwest Atlantic Blue Whale is on it's way to extinction due to the whaling industry in the early to mid 20th century. Only 400-600 individual whales are estimated to live in the Northwest Atlantic now. 

The Blue Whale is one of many whale species with a dwindling population. Check out these incredible organizations and their efforts to restore whale pods in the North Atlantic Ocean: Center for Coastal Studies, NOAA Fisheries, Women Working For Oceans, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Ocean Alliance.