Whales stand as the magnificent rulers of the deep, capturing our imagination with their massive size and mysterious songs. While many people admire their grace, these marine mammals possess incredible biological traits and complex social behaviors. Indeed, you can find whales that sleep standing up or species that outsmart deep-sea predators. Furthermore, their presence in the ocean remains vital for the health of our entire planet.
Whales
The blue whale is the largest animal to ever live on Earth. Specifically, it grows longer than three professional basketball courts laid end to end. This massive size makes it even larger than the biggest dinosaurs discovered by scientists.
Sperm whales sleep in a vertical position while dangling their tails toward the ocean floor. They enter a deep state of rest for short periods of about ten to fifteen minutes. Consequently, they look like giant floating logs to any passing divers.
Humpback whales follow musical trends and teach new songs to other members of their pod. When a popular tune emerges, it can spread across entire ocean basins within a single season. Thus, these whales act like the pop stars of the sea.
The heart of a blue whale is roughly the size of a compact car. This powerful organ pumps over ten tons of blood through the whale’s massive body. Therefore, you could easily crawl through the primary arteries of this giant mammal.
Bowhead whales are the longest-lived mammals on the planet and can survive for over two hundred years. Researchers discovered ancient stone harpoon points embedded in the blubber of living whales. This proves that some individuals survived hunts from the eighteen-hundreds.
They are voluntary breathers, which means they must consciously decide when to take every single breath. If they fell into a deep sleep, they would risk drowning in the water. To prevent this, they only rest half of their brain at a time.
A narwhal’s famous tusk is actually a giant, spiraled tooth that grows through its upper lip. This tooth contains millions of nerve endings and acts as a sensitive sensory organ. It helps the whale detect changes in water temperature and salt levels.
They poop acts as a vital fertilizer for microscopic plants called phytoplankton. These tiny organisms produce over half of the oxygen that humans breathe on land. Indeed, protecting whales helps us maintain a healthy atmosphere for everyone.
Blue whales are among the loudest animals on Earth and produce sounds at 188 decibels. These low-frequency pulses can travel for hundreds of miles through the deep ocean. As a result, whales can communicate with each other across entire seas.
The gray whale makes one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal on the planet. Every year, it travels over ten thousand miles between the Arctic and the lagoons of Mexico. This journey requires incredible endurance and navigational skills.
Sperm whales have the largest brains of any animal to ever inhabit the world. Their brains weigh about five times more than a human brain. Consequently, they possess high levels of social intelligence and complex communication skills.
Humpback whale tails feature unique markings that are just as distinct as human fingerprints. Scientists use photographs of these tail patterns to track individual whales for decades. This allows researchers to study their life stories without using invasive tags.
Some whale species use a cooperative hunting technique called bubble-net feeding. The whales swim in a circle and blow bubbles to trap schools of fish in a “net.” Then, they all swim upward with their mouths open to feast.
Belugas are often called the “canaries of the sea” due to their wide range of vocalizations. They can whistle, click, chirp, and even mimic the sounds of human laughter. Their flexible necks also allow them to turn their heads in many directions.
Finally, the ancestors of modern whales once walked on land on four legs. Over millions of years, they adapted to the water and lost their hind limbs. Today, some whales still have tiny, useless hip bones buried deep inside their bodies.
