Yes, numerous whale species can see perfectly fine.
Some species have excellent vision allowing them to observe a large majority of the environment quickly and at great distances.
However, questions regarding a whale’s ability to see in color remain speculative.
The ability to see color becomes less critical as they dive deeper and deeper into the ocean, where there is less light and most colors begin to look the same.
We can understand why whales can see because scientists and marine biologists can detect receptor cells in the whale’s eyes, which contain cones and rods that allow animals to see objects and colors.
Although whales have receptor cells, they appear to have fewer cones than some land-based animals, suggesting that they are either color blind or limited in the number of colors they can perceive.
The advanced development of the whale’s eyes allows these marine mammals to perceive light effectively and efficiently, making it easier to see in dark areas and at much greater depths than land mammals.
Not all whales have excellent eyesight; some species may have very little vision, so to help them navigate the ocean effectively, whales use another sense that is just as important for survival as their eyesight.
In addition to seeing many whale species, they also have a unique ability known as echolocation, which allows them to identify nearby objects in the ocean using sound.
Echolocation works by sending sounds into the ocean and listening to the echoes returning.
By measuring the delay between when an echo was sent out and when it returned, whales can learn a lot of information about the objects in their surrounding.
They can understand how far an object is, how large it is, what direction it’s moving in, whether it’s hollow or solid and how fast it’s moving.
While some whales are known to possess echolocation, scientists are unsure if it is present in all species.
It is believed that all toothed whales possess echolocation.
However, there has been considerable debate about whether this is present in some or all the baleen whale species.
While it was once believed that baleen whales did not possess echolocation, new research shows that they may also retain this unique skill. A few species of baleen whales have even been observed using what appears to be echolocation to monitor their environment.
Lastly, many whale species have fantastic hearing and can detect sounds from several miles away.
In addition to listening with their ears, some whales can absorb sound into their jaws to improve their sense of hearing.
Since sound travels four times faster in water than on land, it gives whales a massive advantage in the ocean compared to other marine animals that rely less on sound.
By combining excellent eyesight with the use of echolocation and an advanced sense of hearing, whales can observe their entire environment in great detail and can gather important information such as being able to detect danger, nearby food supplies, other whales, and many other important factors involved in surviving in the ocean.