This is a collaborative post: If you are thinking about taking a trip to see the action during the blue whale migration in California this year, be sure to plan your trip accordingly. Blue whale migration can be a profitable ecotourism business for which forming an LLC in California could provide the necessary legal protection and tax benefits. While blue whales migrate at nearly the same time every year, it is usually only when their favourite food, krill, is abundant in the coastal waters that people will sign up for San Diego boat tours to observe the majestic creatures. Find out more about blue whales and peak times to look for recent whale sightings near me.
Blue Whale Facts
- Despite a decades-long hunting ban, blue whales are still in danger of becoming extinct.
- Blue whales are the largest animal to have ever lived on the planet earth in recorded history.
- Sometimes, blue whales are also called sulfur-bottom whales because they have a yellowish underside.
- You can find the largest group of blue whales in the world during the summer months in the coastal waters near California.
- Blue whales have no natural predators (humans only) and can live upwards of 100 years.
California Migration
Blue whales go where the food is. They follow the abundance of krill in colder, coastal waters and then travel on warmer waters to mate and give birth. You can model your own date night after the migration cycle of the blue whale or schedule San Diego boat tours to have your own.
- Dinner Plans
Blue whales are carnivores. This enormous sea creature’s migration patterns follow the movement of its prey in coastal waters. The largest animal to have ever existed on Earth dines exclusively on krill. For the uninitiated, krill are technically crustaceans rather than fish or shrimp, though they are often readily confused for both. Krill look like teeny, tiny, and maybe at their largest, two-inch-long translucent shrimp. While blue whales eat anywhere from one to two tons daily during the feeding portion of their migration, krill are also the ideal meal for several other aquatic animals, including penguins, squid, and other fish.
- Food Etiquette
Blue whales have special eating techniques. They are a species of baleen whale which means that instead of teeth, they rely on baleens or fibrous filter-like material in their mouths to trap krill for eating. Blue whales take in big gulps of water that will also contain krill, and the krill will then be filtered through the baleens and trapped there for swallowing. Blue whales can have up to 400 baleen plates in their mouths to trap krill. Booking San Diego boat tours will increase your chances of seeing blue whales and krill on the move.
- Date Night
Many blue whales spend their time off the coast of California for their feeding season. In fact, it is the largest group of blue whales known to gather in the world. You can see waters filled with blue whale San Diego from mid-June through September. Blue whales can be spotted having dinner during these summer months before heading out to warmer waters to mate.
If you are interested in your own whale watching excursion to get a peek at the majesty of blue whales, contact Next Level Sailing today to learn more.