Fin whale
The Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is the second largest animal (after the blue whale) on earth. It reaches a size of 20 to 27 meters with a weight from 40 to 70 tons. Females are larger than the males. The fin whale is slimmer than the blue whale and even the sperm whale can be heavier. On the northern hemisphere fin whales are around 10% smaller than on the southern hemisphere. The main charcteristics are the black-brown backsite and the white ventral site. They prefer the cold waters of the artic and antarctic and reach maximum velocities of around 50km/h at a maximum dive depth of 200 meters. Typically one encounter them in groups of around six animals. Fin whales feeding primary krill and small schools of fish of which they took around two tons per day. While hunting they can double their bodyweights with seawater for short times. They reach an age of around 130 years.
