Majestic Whales
The Blue Whale
- The Blue Whale is the largest creature ever to have lived on earth.
- Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as a car.
- Amazingly, however, this giant of the ocean feeds on some of the smallest marine life – tiny shrimplike animals called krill. A single adult blue whale can consume 3,6000kg of krill a day.
- They mainly catch their food by diving, and descend to depths of approximately 500m.
- The whale’s mouth has a fascinating row of plates fringed with bristles to help it filter its’ main source of food – Plankton from the water. There is what looks like a moustache of long bristles on the end of each plate to help it hold the minute prey. With each mouthful, the whale can hold up to 5,000kg of water and plankton. Having forced the water out of its mouth, the whale licks these bristles with its fleshy tongue.
- Although the blue whale is a deep-water hunter, as a mammal, it must come to the surface of the sea to breathe. When it surfaces, it exhales air out of a blowhole in a cloud of pressurized vapour that rises vertically above the water for up to 9m.
- Blue whales occasionally swim in small groups but usually alone or in pairs. They are thought to form close attachments.
- In spite of their bulk, these graceful swimmers cruise the ocean at over 8km/h, and can reach speeds of over 30km/h.
- Though we can’t hear them, blue whales are one of the loudest animals on the planet, communicating with each other using a series of low frequency pulses, groans, and moans. It is thought that in good conditions blue whales can hear each over distances of up to 1,600km.
- Scientists think they use these vocalizations not only to communicate, but, along with their excellent hearing, to sonar-navigate the dark deep oceans.
- Females breed only once every three years and gestation is between 11-12months. Females usually only have one young.
- A baby blue whale (calf) emerges weighing up to 2,7000kg and up to 8m long. New born whales are helped to the surface of the water by their mothers and are often encouraged (nudged) by other females so that they can take their first breath of air.
- The calf is suckled in the water, drinking more than 600 litres of milk each day and gaining about 90kg every day for its first year.
- Blue whales have few predators but are known to fall victim to attacks by sharks and killer whales, and many are injured or die each year from impacts with large ships.
- It is thought that whales feel Emotions.
- Intensive hunting in the 1900s by whalers seeking whale oil drove them to the brink of extinction. Hundreds of thousands of whales were killed. The 1966 International Whaling Commission finally gave them protection, although they have only recovered slightly since then. Blue whales are currently classified as endangered on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List. It is estimated that only10,000-25,000 blue whales now swim the world's oceans.
The Sperm Whale
The Sperm Whale is the largest of all toothed whales, and many people immediately think of the story of Moby Dick when they see one. It is well known for the grayish color that it features. The unique body design also offers a very large head with rows of sharp teeth. Full grown, one is about 67 feet in length and will weigh close to 56 tons. They only have one blowhole and a brain that weighs close to 20 pounds. This is the largest brain of any animal on Earth.
The flippers of the Sperm Whale are extremely large. They get their name from the fact that they produce Spermaceti Oil. This is produced in their heads.
The Sperm Whale is the largest of all toothed whales, and many people immediately think of the story of Moby Dick when they see one. It is well known for the grayish color that it features. The unique body design also offers a very large head with rows of sharp teeth. Full grown, one is about 67 feet in length and will weigh close to 56 tons. They only have one blowhole and a brain that weighs close to 20 pounds. This is the largest brain of any animal on Earth.
The flippers of the Sperm Whale are extremely large. They get their name from the fact that they produce Spermaceti Oil. This is produced in their heads.
The Killer Whale
killer whale facts Killer whales, also known as Orcas (Orcinus orca) are fascinating creatures that attract a great deal of attention from marine biologists, as well as the general public.
Orcas are Apex predators and adults do not have any other threat in ocean than humans, Research is always being done about Killer Whales, and new facts about their habits, socialization, intelligence, and travel patterns are discovered continuosly.
Here are the top facts that make this cetacean so unique to the general public as well as to the scientists.
killer whale facts Killer whales, also known as Orcas (Orcinus orca) are fascinating creatures that attract a great deal of attention from marine biologists, as well as the general public.
Orcas are Apex predators and adults do not have any other threat in ocean than humans, Research is always being done about Killer Whales, and new facts about their habits, socialization, intelligence, and travel patterns are discovered continuosly.
Here are the top facts that make this cetacean so unique to the general public as well as to the scientists.
- Killer Whales are one of the fastest creatures in the sea, traveling up to 30 miles per hour.
- Killer Whales are able to control the flow of blood to their hearts and brains, which keeps them from suffering from a lack of oxygen when they are deep underwater.
- Killer Whales eat up to 5% of their body weight each day. This averages out to over 500 pounds of food for each Orca.
- Killer Whales do most of their socialization within their own pods. However, pods do socialize with other pods as well.
- When breeding, Killer Whales do not breed with relatives. They only breed with killer whales that are not closely related to them within their own pods.
- Killer Whales are called “Killer Whales” because they feed on other dolphins and smaller whales, not because they kill people. They are also know as orcas.
- The only recorded instances of a killer whale attacking a human being have been of attacks by Orcas held in captivity. No killer whale that lives in the wilds has ever attacked a human being.
- Killer Whales eat up to 5% of their body weight each day. This averages out to over 500 pounds of food”.
- Every Killer Whale has a mark behind it’s dorsal fin that is totally unique. These marks are used by humans to distinguish one killer whale from another, just as humans each have their own specific characteristics that make our appearances different from every one else’s.
- Killer Whales use vocalization to communicate with each other, but each pod has it’s own unique ‘accent,’ which makes it easy for Orcas to identify members of their own pods.
- Pods of killer whales are found in all oceans in the world, but the greatest numbers are found in cooler waters.
- Killer Whales are actually dolphins. In fact, they are the largest dolphins in existence, and can be up to 30 feet or more in length, and weigh up to 12,000 pounds.
- Killer Whale brain is five times larger than a humans. They are very social, intelligent, and curious. killer whales brains that have been studied with microscopes have proven to be as structured and developed as the human brain.
- Killer Whales have very organized and complex social structures, and divide themselves in pods, which operate as human families do. They protect their young, ill, and injured within their pods.
- Killer Whales spend 60% of their time foraging for food. killer whales do not migrate, but they have been known to travel hundreds of miles to find fresh food that is in ‘season.’
- Life expectancy of a Killer Whale in the wild is 50 – 60 years for males, and up to 90 years for females, however, Killer Whales held in captivity have not lived longer than 30 years, and the average life expectancy for captive Orcas is only 20 years.
- Female Killer whales usually do not breed until they are between the ages of 12 and 16 years old. Their gestation period is 15 – 17 months, as opposed to 9 months for humans. They nurse their calves for up to 2 years. On an average, each female Orca that lives in the wilds will have approximately five calves during her lifetime.