NowThis News day ago se This animation shows a blue whale (blue dot) attempting to feed with busy shipping lanes surrounding it (the red & orange trails). Blue whales, the largest mammal on Earth, reportedly invest a large amount of energy in order to find and consume food. Scientists have observed that when the whales are feeding, they're entirely concentrated on that activity. Dr. Luis Bedrihana-Romano of Centro Ballena Azul - Universidad Austral de Chile, the lead author of a paper researching blue whales' feeding patterns, said that this intense concentration makes the whales more vulnerable. 'This makes them more prone to being hit by boats and particularly at night, when, according to other investigations, whales are on average closer to the surface as a result of their food also rising to the surface. According to the International Whaling Commission, it's difficult to quantify the number of ship strikes involving blue whales because many go unreported. [1] Blue whales are an endangered species. In the area where this graphic is from, it's estimated that there are only between 200 and 700 A se o Home Explore Subscriptions Library