08/14/2026
Thank you for all the love on our last post about βFLUE,β the fin whale/ blue whale hybrid! There were LOTS of questions about this one in a million animal π
Weβve answered a few below ππ»
Q : Does βFlue,β associate more with Fin Whales or Blue Whales?
A : Blue Whales! As you can see in this clip, Flue likes the hang out with fellow blue whales. Each time heβs been spotted in the SBCWHA, Flue has been seen intermixed with ~12 blue whales.
Q : Given his genetic makeup (61.5 fin whale, 31.5 blue whale), were his parents hybrid too?
A : Results from his genetic makeup indicate Flue has a blue whale mother and a fin whale father!
Q : Is Flue the same size as a normal blue whale?
A : Yes! This video shows Flue is just as large as a fully grown blue whale. We estimate him to be ~75+ feet long!
Q : Is there other blue whale/ fin whale hybrids?
A : Yes! Blue whale/ fin whale hybrids have been documented back to the whaling era. While there is thought to be another hybrid in this population, what makes Flue unique is that he is confirmed a hybrid by a genetic sample collected in 2015 by Oregon State University. There are thought to be other hybrids around the world, but we canβt say for certain without genetic confirmation!
Q : How can you tell itβs a hybrid?
A : Flue looks more like a large fin whale with his large dorsal fin, chevron marking on the back, but has some characteristics of a blue whale, ie : dark lower right jaw, faint mottling on back, tail fluke of a blue, and association with blue whales.
Q : Does Flue have trouble talking to other whales?
A : We donβt think so! Flue has often been referred to as the βloneliest whale,β based on a 2021 documentary called βThe Loneliest Whale : The search for 52.β Records of an unidentified whale call have been detected going back to 1989. This 52 hertz frequency was theorized to be too high to communicate with other large whales that communicate between 10 and 40 hertz. Based on his close associations with dozens of Blue Whales, Flue doesnβt seem to be lonely at all! π
To find out more about this iconic whale, click the research paper linked below! π Video by Adam Ernster Photography aboard Condor Express Whale Watching
