Page 127 - The World of Animals

GIANT WHALES

The biggest inhabitants of the oceans are whales. The whale

popularly known as "the blue whale" weighs more than 150,000
125
kilograms (330,600 pounds) and is more than 30 metres (100 feet)

long. To have a better grasp of the size of a whale, try to visualise a
five-storey building: the blue whale is as long as a five-storey

building is tall. Meanwhile, remember that this whale's weight
equals the total weight of 25 to 30 elephants.

Well, how does such a giant animal manage to dive down to 800
to 1000 metres (around 2,625 feet) in depth and then resurface

easily? For example, think of a ship of 150 tons (330,600 pounds)
and thirty metres (100 feet) in length. If this ship sank to the bottom

of the ocean –that is 1000 metres (3,280 feet) in depth–it would
take a large-scale operation lasting years to re-float it. However, by

the power that Allah has granted it, a whale can rise to the surface
in 15 to 20 seconds. Because the bones of the whale are made of a

spongy substance filled with oil, the whale can easily remain on the
surface of the water.