Whales are marine animals and belong to the cetacean family.
Because whales are mammals they share several characteristics that are common among mammals such as being warm-blooded, requiring air to breathe, nursing baby whales with milk and giving birth compared to fish and other aquatic species that lay eggs.
Collectively there are about known 80 whale species that are alive today, if you include dolphins and porpoises; however several species of whale are currently in an endangered status due to previous over hunting.
In terms of location whales can be found swimming in all of the worlds major oceans, however after the whaling era several species have diminished considerably in certain locations and have become completely absent in others.
Whales (or rather their ancestors) have been around for over 50 million years and have evolved from land dwelling animals to the marine mammals we now know and love today.
Commonly asked questions about whales
Bellow we’ve compiled some of the most commonly asked questions about whales.
What do whales look like?
Most whales have long streamlined bodies that are designed for fast swimming that allow whales to easily navigate the ocean with little water resistance.
A few species such as the sperm whale have very large heads compared to their bodies.
In fact the sperm whale in particular has a special organ in its head known as the spermaceti organ which is believed to be used to help the sperm whale make deep dives where it can be found hunting for squid in depths of up to 3,000 feet.
All species are born with a pair of flippers, a small or large fin, a tail, a pair of flukes and one or two blowholes, which are necessary for breathing.
The smaller toothed whale suborder is born with a single blowhole while the larger baleen whale suborder is born with two.
Whales swim by using their tail to push against the water and move it forward while their flippers and fin allow the whale to stabilize, turn and roll through the water.
While whales may vary in terms of color most species are white, black or various shades of grey.
How big are whales?
Whales can vary greatly in size depending on the whales species from 9 ft to over 100 ft in length and can weigh anywhere from 600 pounds to over 150 tons!
The smallest known whale is the dwarf sperm whale which measures in at around 9 ft and weighs around 600 pounds.
In comparison to the dwarf sperm whale the blue whale (the largest living animal in existence) can grow to an average length of around 70 – 80 ft and weigh over 100 tons, however in a few cases the blue whale has been measured at over 100 ft in length and with a weight of more than 150 tons.
What do whales eat?
Depending on the whales size, social structure, environment, species and type (baleen or toothed) their diets can change drastically from small aquatic life forms such as fish, shrimp, larvae, plankton, crabs, krill and squid to marine mammals (primarily consumed by killer whales) such as sea lions, walruses, seals, sharks, birds and even large whales.
It is important to note however that most whale species primarily stick to a diet consisting of small fish and crustaceans.
How are whales different from fish?
Whales have many different characteristics that separate them from fish.
First of all whales are marine mammals while fish are paraphyletic organisms.
While whales get their oxygen from the air they inhale above the water fish extract oxygen through the water directly from their gills.
In fact while it is possible for whales to drown below the water, it is possible for fish to suffocate above the water.
Second whales are warm-blooded and need blubber to stay warm in cold waters.
Fish are cold-blooded which means their bodies adjust to varying climates so they don’t require body fat or blubber to maintain body heat.
Third most species of fish lay eggs and over the course of a year a single female fish can lay hundreds of eggs while whales give birth to a single calf once every 2 – 6 years.
In order to feed their offspring female whales produce young milk from their mammary glands, while baby fish carry a small nutrient sack with them until they are able to hunt on their own.
These are just a few of the many characteristics that separate whales and other marine mammals from fish.
Are whales endangered?
Yes, several species of whale are currently endangered.
During the whaling era many species of whale (especially baleen whales) were being hunted for their meat and blubber which was used to create a number of byproducts such as oil (transmission oil and margarine), food, clothing (corsets and umbrellas) tools and toys (such as chess pieces and jewelry).
Common byproducts of whaling
- 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.
As commercial whaling became increasingly popular between the 16th – 20th centuries more and more species began to decline in numbers and eventually became endangered.
Today whaling has ceased in most countries due to several factors such as the creation of cheap alternative resources, the growing need to protect endangered whale species and the creation of international agreements and laws banning commercial whaling.
Where do whales live in the world?
Whales can be found living throughout the entire world from the upper most northern regions to the lowest southern regions of the world.
Various factors can play a large role in where certain species can be found.
Some of these factors include the types and amount of food that’s available within a specific area, the whales overall size and ability to maintain its body heat in hot or cold regions and their mating behaviors, social structure and migration patterns.
Bellow we’ve included a number of species and where they can be found.
- killer whale – Killer whales can be found inhibiting most of the worlds regions, however they tend to be located in larger groups near colder climate areas. While these marine mammals do migrate from time to time their migrations tend to be more focused on following their food supply rather than migrating for mating purposes.
- Gray Whale – Gray whales are mostly seen in the eastern and western north pacific regions during their feeding season. Once mating season comes around the gray whales migrate back to the Baja peninsula of Mexico and the southern Golf of California until the next mating season comes around.
- humpback whale – Humpback whales can be found all over the world, however they generally prefer cold climates and are commonly seen around the Arctic and Antarctic oceans.
- Blue Whale – Blue whales typically enjoy colder climates during feeding season and will migrate towards tropical climates during mating season.
- Bowhead Whale – The bowhead whale is a non migratory species that is often seen inhibiting the Arctic and sub Arctic waters throughout the year, with occasional small migrations from one part of the Arctic to another.
- Minke Whale – The minke whale can be broken down into to categories. The common or north Atlantic minke whale (which is found in the north Atlantic region) and the Antarctic or southern minke whale (which lives in the Antarctic region south of the equator). While both species are known to migrate close to the equator during mating season it is unlikely that they will meet or come into contact with one another because their summer and winter seasons are not the same.
- Sperm Whale – Sperm whales can be found traveling throughout the world. Female sperm whales prefer living in tropical waters with their young throughout the year and are less adventurous than their adult male counterparts which can be found traveling throughout various parts of the world from the colder climates during the off-season to the warmer climates during mating season.
- Beluga Whale – Beluga whales enjoy shallow coastal waters around the Arctic Ocean. Migration trips are often dependent upon the area the beluga whale lives in. Some beluga are known to migrate during various times of the year while others will inhibit a local area all year-long.
- Narwhal Whale – Narwhal whales are often found in the Canadian Arctic and Greenlandic waters all year-long. Migrations are often short-range and involve narwhal whales moving away from the coastal waters during the colder months to avoid being struck or trapped by large pieces of ice and frozen water. Once the weather warms up they’ll move back toward the coastal waters in the areas they left.
Where can I go to see whales?
Whales can be found swimming around many popular whale watching destinations throughout the world.
Some of the most popular whale watching cities and countries whale watchers love to visit include:
- Boston, MA
- Cape Cod, MA
- Hawaii
- Hervey Bay, AU
- Long Beach, CA
- Long Island, N.Y.
- Los Angeles, CA
- Maine
- Maui, HI
- Monterey Bay, CA
- Newport Beach, CA
- New York
- Provincetown, MA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Nova Scotia, CDN
- Oregon