Eleven species of whales live in waters around the globe, and eye size varies according to whale type. Species include sperm whales, humpback whales, minke whales, Bryde's whales, Sei whales, fin whales, blue whales, beluga whales, false killer whales, pilot whales and orca whales, also known as killer whales.
Whale Senses
A whale's eyes primary sense is her hearing. Dan Bortolotti's book "Wild Blue: A Natural History of the World’s Largest Animal," mentions that one of the reasons whales' eyes are small in proportion to their body is because they have evolved to rely less on vision and more on hearing.
Whale Eye Sizes
An adult gray whale's eyes are about the size of baseballs, or about 3 inches across. Her eyes are set about 8 feet away from top of her jawline. A blue whale's eyes are bigger, at about 6 inches across. This is about the size of a cow's eyes -- seemingly small, considering she's the largest animal on earth.
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Writer Bio
Sarah Whitman's work has been featured in newspapers, magazines, websites and informational booklets. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in nutrition, and her projects feature nutrition and cooking, whole foods, supplements and organics. She also specializes in companion animal health, encouraging the use of whole foods, supplements and other holistic approaches to pet care.
