The whale is a magnificent creature. Who is not intrigued by one of the largest and most intelligent creatures in the sea? Here are a few interesting whales facts you may not have known.
Cetaceans are the family of animals that whales belong to. This also includes porpoises and dolphins. They are the only mammals that live their entire life under the waters of the sea except for manatees. Being mammals, they are warm-blooded, breathe air through a blowhole, and give live birth. The average blue whale is about 94 feet in length, making it the largest creature to ever exist. The smallest would be the dwarf sperm whale at 8 feet.
Two groups of classification make up the Cetacean family. They are either toothed or baleen. There are about 66 toothed varieties. They have peg-like teeth that basically spear their prey, which they will then eat whole. They locate their food source through the use of echolocation. The baleen variety has a comb-like feature that simply acts as a filter. They gather food like krill as they swim along. There are 10 species of this variety.
These creatures have their own very unique set of behaviors. To rest, they will log, which means they just float along the surface. They will sometimes lift their bodies out of the water to their fins and look around, called spyhopping. If there is danger around, a whale might lobtail, slapping the water hard with their tail to make a loud noise. When they are playful, they will often breach, leaping high out of the sea and splashing back down again.
The whale also is known for its singing. They have very haunting and complex songs. They can last up to an hour at times when sung by the blue! The sounds range from whistles and clicks to low frequencies. There are several reasons for this particular behavior. It is employed to communicate with its pod, attract a mate, and even to express grief or excitement. They can be heard literally for miles through the water!
This creature is truly amazing. They are totally unique to the animal kingdom. Hopefully these whales facts have given you some new information on these gentle giants of the sea.
Cetaceans are the family of animals that whales belong to. This also includes porpoises and dolphins. They are the only mammals that live their entire life under the waters of the sea except for manatees. Being mammals, they are warm-blooded, breathe air through a blowhole, and give live birth. The average blue whale is about 94 feet in length, making it the largest creature to ever exist. The smallest would be the dwarf sperm whale at 8 feet.
Two groups of classification make up the Cetacean family. They are either toothed or baleen. There are about 66 toothed varieties. They have peg-like teeth that basically spear their prey, which they will then eat whole. They locate their food source through the use of echolocation. The baleen variety has a comb-like feature that simply acts as a filter. They gather food like krill as they swim along. There are 10 species of this variety.
These creatures have their own very unique set of behaviors. To rest, they will log, which means they just float along the surface. They will sometimes lift their bodies out of the water to their fins and look around, called spyhopping. If there is danger around, a whale might lobtail, slapping the water hard with their tail to make a loud noise. When they are playful, they will often breach, leaping high out of the sea and splashing back down again.
The whale also is known for its singing. They have very haunting and complex songs. They can last up to an hour at times when sung by the blue! The sounds range from whistles and clicks to low frequencies. There are several reasons for this particular behavior. It is employed to communicate with its pod, attract a mate, and even to express grief or excitement. They can be heard literally for miles through the water!
This creature is truly amazing. They are totally unique to the animal kingdom. Hopefully these whales facts have given you some new information on these gentle giants of the sea.
About the Author:
For nearly 50 years Andrew Keet, who stays on the East Coast of South Africa, has been watching whales and gathering facts about whales.
