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Discover the Ocean Giants: Top 10 Amazing Sei Whale Fun Facts You'll Love

illustration of sei-whales
Dive into the fascinating world of sei whales as we embark on a journey filled with splash-tastic facts that are sure to make a whale of a difference in your knowledge!

1. Speed Swimming Ninjas

If the Olympics ever hosted a "Speed Swimming for Whales" event, sei whales would definitely take home the gold: These aquatic athletes can reach speeds of over 34 miles per hour and, unlike other whale species, they prefer to dive without showing off their flukes or arching their backs, making them the stealthy ninjas of the whale world.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

2. Ghost Whales

If you've ever seen someone "ghost" you at a party (you know, disappear without a trace), sei whales take that skill to a whole new level in the ocean: These mysterious whales not only dive without showing off their flukes, but they leave behind sneaky "fluke prints" - circular imprints on the water's surface created by their covert fluke movements underwater.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

3. Olympic Swimmer Acrobats

Rumor has it that sei whales might have been Olympic swimmers in a past life, with a touch of acrobatic flair for that extra pizzazz: These remarkable cetaceans can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour and are known for their show-stopping leaps and twists in the air, possibly as an elaborate method of communication or a mesmerizing display during the courting season.
Source => os.copernicus.org

4. Bottomless-Stomach Whales

If you thought your hangry friend had a bottomless stomach, you clearly haven't met a sei whale: These massive munchers devour up to a whopping 2,000 pounds of plankton, small fish, and cephalopods like squid daily, sustaining their high-speed, oceanic adventures!
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

Jackhammer Diva Whales

5. Jackhammer Diva Whales

Imagine the fireworks display of a world-class diva having a conversation with a jackhammer: that's the sound of a sei whale singing its oceanic heart out! The serious reveal: Sei whales can produce vocalizations reaching up to 156 decibels, equal to a jackhammer operating two meters away, with unique low-frequency calls that can travel several kilometers.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Houdini Ninja Whales

Sei whales are the Houdinis of the whale world with their stealthy vanishing acts and mysterious fluke prints left in their wake. Some call them the ninja whales of our oceans: The reason for this moniker is that unlike other whales, sei whales don't show their flukes or arch their backs when diving; they simply sink below the surface, leaving fascinating "fluke prints" or smooth circles on the water's surface created by their fluke's underwater movement.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

7. Keratin Kommander Diet

Hey baleen, whatcha eatin'? Sei whales, the ocean's Keratin Kommanders, have made dining into a fine art, gulping down a whale of a buffet to fuel their massive frames – no chewing required! How's that for diet goals? Seriously speaking: These colossal creatures utilize their unique flexible baleen plates to filter food like plankton, small fish, and squids with superb efficiency, consuming up to 900 kg (2,000 lb) of food per day while sporting a minimalistic tongue compared to their mammalian cousins.
Source => dnazoo.org

8. H2OGlutton Whale

Step right up folks, and witness the incredible, the unbelievable, the astonishing H2OGlutton of the deep blue sea: The sei whale skims through the ocean, guzzling a whopping 2,000 pounds of food per day with its baleen plates filtering out plankton and small fish from massive gulps of water!
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

9. Marine Magician Whales

Sei whales have their own version of a disappearing act: Now you see them, now you don't! These mysterious marine magicians don't need a fancy cape and hat to perform their tricks; they just rely on their flippin' flukes: Sei whales simply sink below the ocean's surface without arching their backs while diving, creating a distinct "fluke print", a smooth circular pattern on the water that betrays their underwater escapades. This signature move makes sei whales the true masters of hide and 'sea’k among their whale brethren.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

The Flash of Whales

10. The Flash of Whales

If the Flash traded his lightning bolt for a tail, he'd definitely be a sei whale: these aquatic speedsters can reach speeds over 34 miles per hour and have a peculiar diving behavior where they sink without arching their backs or showing their flukes, leaving unique "fluke prints" as suave signatures on the water surface.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

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