the species to continue their increase, barring renewed 

 exploitation. 



Stranded Specimens 



Stranded blue whales can be readily identified by 1) the 

 large body size (to 85 feet (25.9 m]); 2) the broad flat head; 3) 



the all black baleen plates (270-395 in number), which are 

 usually barely more than twice as long as they are wide; and 

 4) the 55-88 ventral grooves extending to the navel or beyond 

 (Table 2). 



Depending on the state of decay and the position of the 

 stranded specimen, any of the body characteristics described 

 for living animals may also be used to positively identify the 

 specimen. 



Figure 14. - Dead blue whales, harpooned and afloat off the stern of a factory ship in the Antarctic (top), and on the deck of a whaUng station in western 

 Canada (bottom). In both, note the numerous ventral grooves (from 55 to 85 or more) extending to the region of the navel and sometimes beyond, and the 

 light coloration of the undersides of the flippers. Even though grooves are often present above the flippers, and occasionally even on the side of the head, 

 counts of ventral grooves are usually made between the flippers. {Pkotoa by Japanese Whales Research Institute, courtesy ofH. Omura [top]; ondG. C 

 Pike, courtesy of I. MacAslde [bottom].) 



25 



