Question

Which of the following is killed for oil and blubber?

• A. Tiger
• B. Blue whale
• C. Chiru
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is B Blue whale

Blue whales are killed for oil and blubber.

Over the centuries whales have been killed for a number of different reasons.

Although the practice of whaling has largely been halted today, some countries still participate in hunting whales for their meat.

In the past whales were killed largely for their oil, blubber (and sometimes for meat) which was used to produce a variety of materials such as:

Oil – Lamp oil, soap, perfume, candles and cosmetics

Food – Cooking oil, margarine and whale meat

Clothing – corsets and umbrellas

And various other products including tools such as fishing hooks.

It is estimated that by the 1930’s over 50, 000 whales were being killed annually and by the middle of the century many of these species were unable to recover quickly enough to repopulate their losses.