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The calf is born after a gestation period of just 10-12 months
At birth, the blue whale calf is roughly 25 feet long and is nursed for the first 6-8 months of its life
During this time, the calf will grow at an astonishing rate of 8 inches per day, consuming up to 50 gallons of its mother’s milk every 24 hours
Rapid growth rate
growth rate is due to its unique physiology that allows it to consume and metabolize a vast amount of food
The calf’s digestive system is similar to that of adults, allowing it to process large quantities of milk and, later, krill
A healthy blue whale calf can consume up to 100 gallons of milk daily, which is rich in fat and protein required for optimum growth
No other mammal on Earth grows at such a rapid pace, and even some of the fastest-growing reptiles and fish pale in comparison
For example, a human baby will triple its birth weight in the first year of life, while a blue whale calf will grow to 25 feet long and gain over 150,000 pounds in the same amount of time
The calf’s growth rate is so astonishing that some scientists have compared it to the growth rate of cancer cells!