Encyclopedia of Animals. See what “whales” are in other dictionaries All whales are mammals

If a whale lives in water and has a fish-like body shape, then why is it not considered a fish?

Because a whale is a marine mammal that descends from earthly ancestors. Over the course of many millennia spent in the water, whales began to resemble fish in shape, but their body structure and lifestyle remained similar to land animals.

For example, a whale's fins have an internal structure that resembles a hand with five fingers. On the body of some whales there are even bones where the hind legs should be! But the most important difference between whales and fish is that, like all other mammals, whales feed their young with mother's milk. These babies do not hatch from eggs or eggs, but are born alive. And for some time after birth, the baby whale remains close to its mother, who takes care of it.

Since all mammals have warm blood, and the whale does not have fur to keep it warm in icy water, it instead has blubber, which is a layer of subcutaneous tissue filled with fat that retains heat as well as a fur coat.

And whales breathe differently than fish. Instead of gills, they have lungs into which they draw air through two nostrils located at the top of their heads. When whales dive underwater, these nostrils close with small valves to keep water out. Every five to ten minutes the whale rises to the surface of the water to take a breath. First of all, he noisily spews out exhaust air through his nostrils. As a result of this, the very “fountain” that is always drawn in pictures about whales appears. Then he takes a deep breath of fresh air into his lungs and dives again to continue moving underwater.

Why does a whale have a fountain?

Whales are not fish, but mammals. They are warm-blooded creatures, their young are born by live birth, rather than hatching from eggs. Baby whales feed on their mother's milk, just like other mammals.

But the ancestors of whales, like all other mammals, lived on land. Therefore, whales had to adapt to living conditions in the water. This means that over millions of years, changes occurred in their bodies that gave them the opportunity to live in a different environment.

Since whales do not have gills, they breathe through lungs, and their respiratory system has undergone the most changes during evolution. Previously, their nostrils were on the front of the head, then they gradually moved upward. They now form one or two breathing holes that make it easier to obtain oxygen at the surface of the water.

Underwater, the breathing holes are closed by two small valves, and since the air passage is not connected to the mouth, there is no danger of water entering the lungs.

Whales usually come to the surface for air every 5-10 minutes, but sometimes they can stay underwater for 45 minutes! Having emerged to the surface of the water, the whale immediately releases the used air from its lungs. When he does this, a loud noise is heard that can be heard over a considerable distance. What does a whale fountain consist of? This is not water, but simply exhaust air and water vapor.

To completely change the air in the lungs, the whale blows a fountain several times, after which it plunges deeply into the water. Some whales are famous for being able to dive to depths of 600 meters! Sometimes large whales lift their tails above the water or even jump into the air, completely lifting off the surface of the water!

Whales are very peculiar mammals, which, due to their constant life in water, are more like fish. This group of animals has a characteristic appearance and at the same time has achieved significant diversity. Whales form a separate order of Cetaceans, but this term is a collective one. Usually this word refers to large species; small cetaceans have other names (dolphins, porpoises).

Humpback whale, or humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).

The most striking distinguishing feature of these animals is their size. Indeed, all species of whales are simply giants of the animal world. Even the smallest species (dwarf sperm whales, for example) reach a length of 2-3 m and a weight of 400 kg, and most species have a length of 5-12 m and a weight of several tons. The largest species, the blue whale, reaches a length of 33 m and weighs 150 tons! It is several times larger than even the largest dinosaurs. The blue whale is the largest living creature ever to inhabit our planet!

All species of whales are characterized by an elongated, streamlined body, a very short, inactive neck and a large head. The size of the head can vary greatly between species: in small whales it is 1/5 of the body length, in large baleen whales its size can reach 1/4, and in the sperm whale the head makes up 1/3 of the body. Based on the structure of their teeth, whales are divided into two suborders: baleen and toothed. Baleen whales have no teeth at all; they are replaced by giant horny plates that hang in the mouth like a fringe. They are called whalebone.

Baleen in the mouth of a whale.

Toothed whales have teeth, their shape and size vary between species. The structure of the jaws can also be different: in baleen whales the lower jaw is much larger than the upper and is similar to a ladle; in toothed whales, on the contrary, the upper jaw is larger or equal in size to the lower one. Such differences are associated with the nature of the diet of these animals.

The difference in size of the upper and lower jaws is clearly visible on the head of a humpback whale.

The brain size of whales is relatively large, but this is primarily due to the development of the parts of the brain responsible for hearing. Whales, like dolphins, have perfect echolocation abilities; they emit sounds of various frequencies and use their reflection (echo) to navigate in space, find food and communicate with each other. Just like dolphins, whales are susceptible to an unknown pathology - they can periodically wash ashore. The animals do this unconsciously (the ability of whales to commit suicide is nothing more than a stupid prejudice), but with such persistence that scientists are still puzzling over the reason for such strange behavior. Animals washed ashore are not always old or sick; moreover, sometimes, through the efforts of rescuers, they can be returned to the sea. Most likely, the root cause of such death is disruptions in the operation of the echo sounder caused by numerous radio sources (all modern navigation uses powerful sources and repeaters of radio waves). Such electromagnetic “noise” in the ocean confuses the giants and they approach the shores; moreover, accustomed to trusting their feelings, the whales stubbornly strive in the “right” direction until they run aground. Other sense organs in whales are poorly developed: the sense of smell is in its infancy, and vision is also rather weak.

On the top of the head there is a breathing hole - a blowhole. In more primitive baleen whales it consists of two openings (“nostrils”), in toothed whales there is only one opening. Interestingly, during exhalation, moist air from the lungs creates a kind of fountain, and its shape depends on the type of whale.

A blowhole with two nostrils on the head of a gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus).

The limbs of whales are arranged in a very unusual way. The front ones have turned into flattened fins, and their size can vary greatly among different species. For example, the fins of belted teeth and sperm whales are small, and they reach their greatest development in the humpback whale.

The long fins of a humpback whale resemble wings underwater.

But whales have no hind limbs at all; in their place in the lumbar spine there are only two small bones to which the muscles of... the genital organs are attached. The driving force in the whale's body is created by a powerful twin tail, but these are not modified hind legs, as some believe.

The powerful tail is used by whales for movement and protection.

The coloration of whales is varied, but discreet. More often, their body has a dark upper side and a lighter lower side; some species (Bryde's minke) may have clearly visible stripes on the underside of the head. Species such as the blue whale, gray whale, and sperm whale are uniformly gray or brown in color.

The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) gets its name from its rare white skin color.

Whales are widespread throughout all oceans (and some seas) of the globe. They are found only in deep waters; as a rule, they do not enter bays, river mouths and similar shallow waters. Whales usually move freely across the ocean, but their movement is not chaotic. Each whale species has favorite breeding grounds that they visit during certain seasons. The rest of the time, whales fatten up, but do this in areas remote from their breeding grounds. Thus, whales migrate with a cyclicity of 1 year. When feeding, whales swim at a speed of 10-20 km/h, but in case of danger they switch to a cruising speed of 50 km/h. Adult males and non-breeding females stay alone, females with cubs, as well as all animals during the breeding season form herds of 5-15 individuals. There is a peaceful atmosphere inside the herd: the whales have no internal hierarchy, they do not show aggression towards each other, in case of danger, all members of the herd try to defend themselves with common efforts, there are even cases of mutual assistance to wounded brothers. In general, whales, with their huge size and clumsiness, give the impression of stupid and uninteresting animals. But this is a false idea! These peculiar animals are endowed with developed intelligence and are not inferior to dolphins in intelligence. For example, there are cases when whales showed interest in the underwater photographers who were filming them - the animals approached people and even tried to play with them in their own way, pushing them to the surface. Another example: whalers tracked down a female whale with her calf and killed the latter. The whale carcass was transported to the cutting site in tow. All this time, the female swam nearby and tried to remove the corpse of the cub from the rope. Captive whales in captivity quickly get used to people and are able to perform tricks (to the best of their physical capabilities). Like all highly developed animals, whales love to play, while they jump high out of the water and beat their tails loudly.

Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata).

Whales feed on a variety of marine animals, and there is a narrow specialization in the nutrition of different species. Baleen whales eat exclusively plankton - the smallest sea crustaceans. They extract it by filtering large volumes of water. To do this, the whale opens its mouth and takes water into its mouth...

Humpback whales use their open mouths as a scoop.

then with his tongue, like a piston, he pushes the water out of his mouth - the water flows freely through the whalebone, but the crustaceans remain.

A whale strains water with plankton.

Toothed whales feed on fish, which they also catch not individually, but in whole schools. Sperm whales specialize in catching deep-sea fish and shellfish (mainly squid). Many whales make long dives for hunting; they can stay under water for up to 1.5 hours. The record holders for diving depth are sperm whales, which were encountered at a depth of 1 km!

Whales are very infertile animals. Females reach sexual maturity at 7-15 years, males only at 15-25. Moreover, each individual participates in reproduction no more than once every 2 years. In the mating ritual of whales there is not only no aggression, but also any kind of struggle at all. Male whales attract the attention of females with their songs! Whale voices are surprisingly delicate for animals of their size. Each species of whale has its own set of sounds, but even individuals of the same species differ in the tone of their voice. The whale's song resembles a melodic moan and sounds very loud. According to divers, when a whale sings, the water around it vibrates. Female whales can mate with several males, since there is no struggle between representatives of the stronger sex, selection occurs in a very unusual way. It turns out that the gonads of whales are enormous (in the sperm whale, for example, up to 10-20% of body weight) and are capable of producing large amounts of sperm. Thus, among several males mating with one female, the one whose hormonal status is higher wins. Pregnancy in various species lasts 11-18 months. The female gives birth to only one calf, but it is large and developed. For example, the weight of a newborn blue whale is 2-3 tons. The calf is born tail first and, with the help of its mother, rises to the surface for its first breath. The mother often feeds the cub with very rich milk, due to which it grows quickly. The lactation period of whales is relatively short - 5-7 months. During this time, the cub manages to grow 2 times, then its growth slows down sharply. For another 1.5-2 years, the cub accompanies the mother, using her protection. In small and medium-sized whales, young animals are kept in herds until they reach sexual maturity, and sometimes later. Whales live 50-70 years.

Baby blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus).

It would seem that nothing could threaten such gigantic animals in this world. In reality, whales are very vulnerable to various dangers. In the ocean, whales have no enemies except... their own brothers. Killer whales (giant predatory dolphins often called whales) attack other species of cetaceans. Killer whales live in groups and act collectively, so even adult whales can hardly resist their coordinated attack, and the calves are completely defenseless. When attacked, whales try to escape by “flight”, swimming away from the herd of killer whales at high speed. If it was not possible to break away from the pursuit, the whale tries to fight off the attackers with strong blows of its tail, the mother swims under the calf from below, trying to cover it with her body.

But even in the absence of predators, whales have enough problems. Sometimes these animals experience... hunger. Massive fishing, global warming, and changing sea currents undermine the food supply of whales and animals can drift for several weeks in “barren” waters. Researchers have encountered extremely emaciated animals. In the Arctic Ocean, whales often become trapped in ice. Since whales breathe air, they are forced to surface regularly to replenish their supplies. If there are no suitable polynyas around, whales break through the ice with their heads, but they do not always succeed. When the ice is thick (or the opening is small), entire herds of whales suffocate under the ice.

Minke whale in Antarctic ice.

To top it all off, whales are actively hunted by people. Despite their impressive size (or rather, because of them), whales are attractive prey for fishing. There are no useless parts in a whale carcass; everything is used: fat (blub), meat, baleen, teeth, skin. Sperm whales are suppliers of very exotic products - spermaceti and ambergris. Spermaceti, despite its name, is not whale sperm at all, but a fat-like substance from the brain. Ambergris is found in the intestines and has a pleasant smell, which is why it got its name. Both substances are very valuable raw materials in the cosmetics industry and are extremely highly valued on the world market.

As a result of the impact of unfavorable factors, the number of almost all species of whales has greatly decreased, many species are on the verge of extinction. In this regard, the World Convention on the Prohibition of Whale Fishing was adopted (especially since whaling products have lost their relevance in our time). The only country that has not signed the convention is Japan. Japanese whalers still carry out mass fishing of all whales indiscriminately, justifying themselves by the fact that whale meat... is a traditional component of Japanese cuisine. On the other hand, tourism in whale breeding grounds has gained wide popularity. Nature lovers visit such places on small boats; queues line up to tour operators for the opportunity to watch whales live and hear their songs. Attempts to keep whales in captivity run into many obstacles: large species of whales cannot be kept due to their size, baleen whales cannot be fed with plankton, and catching an adult whale without killing it is very difficult. Repeated attempts to catch the cubs led to the death of the babies even at the transportation stage. Only the smallest species of whales (beluga whales, pilot whales) take root in aquariums, but they do not breed there. Perhaps the only way to preserve these unique animals is a widespread ban on their hunting and comprehensive protection of water resources.

The carcass of a beached blue whale is being cut up for further scientific research.

WHALES
(Cetacea)
an order of exclusively aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. The streamlined, often torpedo-shaped body gives them an external resemblance to fish. However, cetaceans are warm-blooded, breathe atmospheric air, bear a fetus in the uterus, give birth to a fully developed calf capable of independent existence, which the mother feeds with milk, and the remains of hair are visible on their body. According to these and some other characteristics, they are similar to other mammals, and the general plan of their structure also indicates that they belong to this class of animals. The body of cetaceans, round in cross-section, tapers towards the end and ends with a pair of wide caudal fins, flattened in the horizontal plane. These fins, although devoid of a bony skeleton (there is cartilaginous supporting tissue inside them), serve as the main organ that ensures the animal’s forward movement. The pectoral fins, or flippers, correspond to the forelimbs of land mammals; their carpal parts are not dissected externally, and sometimes are fused internally, forming spade-shaped structures. They serve as stabilizers, “depth rudders,” and also provide turning and braking. There are no hind limbs, although rudiments of pelvic bones have been found in some species. The neck is very short, since the seven cervical vertebrae common to mammals are greatly shortened and fused into one or several plates, the total length of which does not exceed 15 cm. The body of cetaceans is covered with smooth shiny skin, which facilitates gliding in water. Under the skin there is a layer of adipose tissue (blubum) ranging from 2.5 to 30 cm thick. Fat protects the body from hypothermia and helps retain water in the body that would otherwise diffuse into the environment; body temperature is maintained at approximately 35° C. Animals do not need fur, since the fat provides sufficient thermal insulation, however, in the embryonic stages and in adults, sparse hair can be found on the snout. The head is very large and wide. The neck is so shortened that outwardly the boundary between the head and the body is not noticeable. There are no external ears, but there is an auditory canal, which opens through a small hole in the skin and leads to the eardrum. The eyes are very small, adapted to life in the sea. They are able to withstand high pressure when the animal is immersed to great depths; large, fatty tears are released from the tear ducts, which help to see more clearly in the water and protect the eyes from the effects of salt. Nostrils - one (in toothed whales) or two (in baleen whales) - are located in the upper part of the head and form the so-called. blowhole. In cetaceans, unlike other mammals, the lungs are not connected to the oral cavity. The animal inhales air, rising to the surface of the water. Its blood is capable of absorbing more oxygen than that of land mammals. Before diving into the water, the lungs are filled with air, which, while the whale remains under water, is heated and saturated with moisture. When the animal floats to the surface, the air it exhales forcefully, in contact with the cold outside, forms a column of condensed steam - the so-called. fountain. Thus, whale fountains are not columns of water at all. In different species they are not the same in shape and height; for example, the fountain at the top of the southern right whale bifurcates. The exhaled air is forced through the blowhole under such strong pressure that it produces a loud trumpeting sound, which in calm weather can be heard from a great distance. The blowhole is equipped with valves that close tightly when the animal is immersed in water and open when it ascends to the surface. The cetacean order is divided into two suborders: toothed whales (Odontoceti) and baleen whales (Mysticeti). The former are considered less specialized; These include, in particular, beaked whales, sperm whales, killer whales, as well as smaller forms - dolphins and porpoises. Sperm whales reach a length of 18 m and weigh 60 tons; the length of their lower jaw reaches 5-6 m. The teeth of baleen whales are replaced by long fringed horny plates (whalebone), hanging from the upper jaw and forming a filter for filtering small crustaceans and fish from the water. This suborder includes minke whales, as well as blue, humpback, dwarf, smooth, bowhead and other whales. Some blue whales reach a length of 30 m. This animal is larger than even giant dinosaurs. It can weigh as much as 150 bulls or 25 elephants. Fossils of primitive whales, zeuglodonts ("jugular-toothed"), have been found in marine sediments of Africa, Europe, New Zealand, Antarctica and North America. Some of them were giants more than 20 m long. A whale can reach enormous sizes, since its limbs do not have to support the weight of its body: in water it is as if weightless. A large whale swimming at a speed of 20 knots (37 km/h) “generates” 520 hp of energy. With. Whales swallow food whole and consume up to a ton of food per day. The sperm whale's pharynx is very wide, so that it can easily swallow a person, but in baleen whales it is much narrower and only allows small fish to pass through. The sperm whale feeds mainly on squid and often feeds at depths of more than 1.5 km, where pressure exceeds 100 kg/cm2. The killer whale is the only representative of the order that regularly eats not only fish and invertebrates, but also warm-blooded animals - birds, seals and whales. Cetaceans have a very long intestine and a complex multi-chambered stomach, consisting, for example, of 14 sections in beaked whales, and 4 in right whales. The female gives birth to one calf under water. It comes out of her body tail first. The cub is fully developed and is almost immediately able to follow the herd. It suckles for approximately 6 months and grows rapidly, reaching sexual maturity by age three, although increasing in size continues until age 12. Most large whales breed once every two years. Despite their enormous size, these animals are not very durable. Science knows very few specimens of right whales older than 20 years. Herds of whales can commit something akin to mass suicide. Sometimes a hundred or more of their individuals wash ashore at the same time. Even if the suffocating animals are towed back to sea, they return to land. The reasons for this behavior have not yet been determined. Whales provide humans with many useful products. People have been hunting them since ancient times, and whaling existed before the 10th century. In addition to meat, whale oil (blub), which is used to make soap and cosmetic creams, is of great value. Ambergris is extracted from the intestines of sperm whales; this grayish substance is secreted there as a result of irritation of the mucous membrane caused by the horny jaws of swallowed squids. Pieces of ambergris weigh up to 13 kg, and the mass of its largest “nugget” is 122 kg. It contains sodium chloride, calcium phosphate, alkaloids, acids and the so-called ambrine; this substance is lighter than fresh and salt water, softens in the hands, melts at temperatures below 100°, and evaporates when heated more strongly. Ambergris was once highly valued as a perfume fixative. Currently, whaling is almost universally prohibited, since as a result of unsustainable mining, the whale population has greatly decreased and some of their species are on the verge of extinction. International agreements allow the capture and slaughter of individual specimens for scientific research. In addition, some peoples, such as the Eskimos, for whom whale hunting is one of the most important traditional activities, are allowed to continue it on a limited scale.
baleen whales
Baleen whales (suborder Mysticeti) got their name because of the long horny plates of the so-called. whalebone, located in their mouth instead of teeth. They hang from the upper to the lower jaw on both sides of the oral cavity perpendicular to the axis of the body. Each plate is a thin strip of approximately triangular shape, smooth on both sides. The outer edge is smooth, and the inner and lower edges are fringed with long bristles, forming a filter for straining small animals from sea water. Whalebone does not dissolve in water or natural acids and is never discarded. It consists of a strong and elastic substance, keratin, which forms the nails, claws and horns of land vertebrates. Not all baleen whales are giants, but they are all large animals, several meters long. However, the throat of any of their species is no wider than our fist. The largest baleen whales feed primarily on planktonic crustaceans, while some of the smaller members of the suborder feed primarily on schooling fish. All species have two nostrils, brought together into a blowhole, which is always moved far back, which allows the animal to breathe by only slightly raising the top of its head out of the water. When a whale opens its mouth to capture food, water does not enter its lungs, since the nasal passage leads directly to the trachea and is not connected to the pharynx. In the past, whalebone was highly prized; in the late 1800s, its price reached $7 per pound (453 g), and some animals could produce almost 1.5 tons of this product. It was used to stiffen bustles, bodices, collars and crinolines. After steel frames began to be used for all this, the trade in whalebone fell into decline. The suborder is divided into three families: gray whales, minke whales and smooth whales.
Gray whales (Eschrichtiidae). There is only one species in this family - the gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) - a slate-gray animal up to 15 m long, whose range is limited to the coastal waters of the North Pacific Ocean. The head is relatively small, there is a small hump on the back instead of a fin, and there are 2-4 longitudinal grooves on the throat. Whalebone is yellowish in color, its plates are quite thick, 35-45 cm long. The body is often covered with rounded white spots - traces of sea acorns and other skin fouling.
The gray whale spends the summer in the coastal waters of the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean, and in the winter migrates south, reaching Mexico, Japan and Korea. It stays in shallow places, so that sometimes the water barely covers its back. It feeds on planktonic crustaceans, which abound in the northern seas in the summer months. Before releasing a fountain 3-3.5 m high, the animal makes trumpet sounds for 8-10 minutes. As with all baleen whales, the female is larger than the male. Both parents are very attached to their young, which are born in January. The newborn reaches a length of 4.5-5.5 m. He suckles his mother for 6-8 months, growing during this time to 7.5 m. Parents zealously protect their offspring and, sensing danger, can attack a boat and even a swimmer.
Minke whales (Balaenopteridae).
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), also called the herring whale, is a large animal with a wedge-shaped head, a long slender body and a high dorsal fin moved far back; on its throat there are from 40 to 120 deep longitudinal folds. The body is grayish-brown above and white below. The length of the whalebone plate reaches 90 cm, and the entire body - 25 m. One fin whale, 23 m long, weighed 60,000 kg, of which approx. 8500 kg were bones, 475 kg were baleen, 1200 kg were tongue and 2700 kg were head and lower jaw. The species is distributed in all oceans and migrates in herds ranging from a few to more than 100 individuals. Migrations are seasonal: the fin whale spends the summer in the Arctic and Antarctic, and the winter in warmer seas. It feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans, less often on schooling fish, such as herring. The fin whale does not have a specific breeding season. A 6 m long calf is born 10-15 months after conception; the mother feeds him for 6 months or longer. Life expectancy is 20-25 years. Sei whale, or saydian (willow) whale (Balaenoptera borealis), is similar in general features to the fin whale, but does not exceed 18 m in length. It migrates across the oceans, feeding on plankton and throwing conical fountains 2-2.5 m high into the air. The name “sei whale” was given to the species by Norwegian fishermen, since it usually appears in their waters simultaneously with pollock (seje). A close relative of the sei whale, the Bryde's minke whale, which is almost indistinguishable from it, lives in tropical seas. Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)- the smallest of the minke whales, i.e. whales with folds on the throat. Its color is blue-gray above and white below; A distinctive feature is a wide white stripe crossing the pectoral fins. Length up to 10 m; There are approximately 60 furrow-folds stretching from the chin to the chest. Whalebone is yellowish-white. Distributed more or less everywhere; often enters bays and bays. Humpback whale or humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), - a large animal with a dense, shortened body; the back and sides are blackish, and the color of the belly varies from black or mottled to white. The maximum length is approximately 15 m. An individual 14 m long can weigh over 40,000 kg and produce approx. 4000 liters of fat; the weight of the heart alone is approx. 200 kg. The length of the pectoral fins is more than a quarter, sometimes almost a third of the total body length, which is reflected in the generic name - Megaptera, i.e. "big fin" Their edges are uneven and lumpy. The flattened head ends in a snout rounded at the end, bordered by uneven rows of “warts” with a hair on each of them. The posterior edges of the caudal fin are also scalloped. There are fewer folds on the throat than the fin whale, and the distances between them are wider. The whalebone plates are blackish, up to 1 m long; there are ok. 400 on each side. Humpback whales can be found in all oceans. Its herds migrate with the changing seasons and depending on the amount of food, spending the winter in tropical waters. It feeds on planktonic crustaceans and small fish. Pregnancy lasts 11 months; The calf's body length at birth is 4.5 m, and its weight is approx. 1400 kg. Humpback whales often jump completely out of the water in a vertical position and fall back with a deafening splash, either while playing or trying to throw off barnacles. And sometimes they seem to “stand on their heads,” desperately beating the water with their huge caudal fins. However, this species is especially famous for the extensive repertoire of sounds it makes; Even recordings of his “songs” are sold. The whalers nicknamed him “Humpback” for the way he arches his back while “singing.”

Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)- the largest of all animals that ever existed on Earth. The female is always larger than the male and reaches a length of 30 m with a mass of more than 100 tons. The color is not blue, but rather bluish-gray with silver-gray spots of irregular shape. The belly is sometimes yellowish due to microscopic diatoms clinging to it. The small dorsal fin is strongly moved back; numerous throat grooves extend far into the belly. On each side of the mouth there are approximately 365 blue-black baleen plates up to 1 m long. The blue whale spends its summer near the pack ice in the polar regions of both hemispheres. It usually sails at a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h), and if necessary, twice as fast. Before a deep dive, the animal raises its huge tail fins into the air; it can remain underwater for up to 20 minutes. The height of the fountain reaches 6 m. The blue whale feeds on planktonic crustaceans, absorbing up to a ton of food for each “meal”. The baby is born 10-11 months after conception; The body length of a newborn reaches 7.5 m, and the weight is approx. 4 tons. The mother feeds him for 6-7 months. Blue whales reach sexual maturity in the tenth year of life.

Right whales (Balaenidae) characterized by the absence of grooves on the throat.
Greenland or polar whale (Balaena mysticetus)- an animal with a stocky, dense body; matte black color. Length reaches 18 m; more than a third is made up of a huge head, and the mouth, formed by giant arched jaws, can easily fit a bull. On each side of the oral cavity there are 360 ​​baleen plates, each 2-4.5 m long. In the past, the bowhead whale was hunted so intensively that it almost became extinct. This animal was an easy prey for whalers, as it moves at a speed of less than 13 km/h. The length of a newborn cub is 4-4.5 m; he stays with his mother for about a year.

Southern whale (Eubalaena glacialis)- a matte black stocky animal 14-15 m long (the head accounts for almost a third of the length). At the top of the snout there is a large horny growth, usually covered with whale lice. On each side of the mouth there are 250 plates of whalebone, sometimes more than 2 m long. The V-shaped fountain it creates is directed forward; it reaches a height of 4.5 m. The southern whale has always been a favorite prey of whalers, as it swims slowly, produces large quantities of high-quality blubber and whalebone, and in addition, its carcass floats well on the water, it is easy to notice and, having knocked it out, tow behind the ship. It was once common in the temperate and cold waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the seas of the Southern Hemisphere, but is now on the verge of extinction. Mating in the right whale occurs in the colder parts of its range, and the calf is born in temperate waters. The female feeds it for six months or longer. She is very attached to the cub and does not abandon him, even if her life is in danger. There are three known subspecies of the southern right whale: the Biscay whale (E.g. glacialis), which lives in the North Atlantic, the Japanese whale (E.g. japonica) from the North Pacific Ocean, and the Australian whale (E.g. australis) from the Southern Hemisphere. Some zoologists consider them to be separate species. The number of all three is very small due to centuries of barbaric fishing.

Dwarf whale (Neobalaena marginata)- the smallest and rarest of the baleen whales. It does not exceed 6 m in length. Special features include 17 pairs of very thin but wide ribs, a small head and a dorsal fin, which is absent in other right whales. Whalebone is white with a black outer edge. The pygmy whale is common in Australian and New Zealand waters, as well as off the coasts of South America and South Africa.
TOOTHED WHALES
To the suborder of toothed whales (Odontoceti) include cetaceans with teeth, either on the front of the lower jaw or on both jaws (in some species the teeth are not functional). Males are usually larger than females. The main food of almost all species is fish or squid. Unlike baleen whales, toothed whales have an unpaired nostril. Sperm whale (Physeter catodon)- the most famous of all whales. It is capable of diving to a depth of over 1.5 km, remaining there for an hour, and then emerging without, apparently, experiencing any special overloads. Males reach a length of 18-20 m; females are smaller, 11-13 m. One 13-meter sperm whale weighed 40,000 kg, of which 420 were in the liver, and 126 in the heart. The pectoral fins are short, and the dorsal fin has a thick, low hump. The sperm whale usually swims at a speed of 4 knots (7.5 km/h), and, if necessary, three times faster. The head, constituting a third of the total body length, is blunt in front and can be used as a huge battering ram; in the past, wooden whaling ships were damaged by such attacks. On the head there is a large fat pad filled with an oily liquid - spermaceti. The long (5.5 m) but narrow lower jaw bears from 8 to 36 pairs of strong conical teeth, each of which weighs approximately 1 kg. There are no more than 1-3 pairs of them on the upper jaw, and they are non-functional. The blowhole is S-shaped and shifted to the left front corner of the head. The sperm whale can be recognized by its short, wide fountain directed forward and upward. When a whale dives deeply or makes sounds, it raises its tail fins high into the air and goes vertically under the water. Fountains appear at intervals of approximately 10 s; the animal can remain on the surface for up to 10 minutes, making approximately 60 inhalations and exhalations during this time. The sperm whale is polygamous: a harem of up to 10-15 females follows the male along with sucklings. The father shows no interest in the offspring. There is no specific breeding season. Cubs up to 4 m long are born a year after conception and suckle their mother for 6 months or longer; During feeding, she turns on her side so that the baby can breathe normally. The sperm whale reaches its maximum size in the ninth year of life; lives, apparently, only 15-20 years. Its main food is squid and cuttlefish, which it catches at the bottom using its long jaws. Adult sperm whales consume up to a ton of food per day. Animals migrate in herds of thousands.

Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) differs from the “simple” one in that it is small and, in comparison with the body, has a head rounded in front. The back and sides are black, the belly is lighter, the mouth is pink; the dorsal fin is sickle-shaped. The length of mature individuals is only approx. 4 m, weight approximately 400 kg. The lower jaw is narrow, with 8-16 narrow, pointed teeth on each side. This species also dives to great depths and hunts there for squid and cuttlefish. Distributed in the warm waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans; individual specimens were found ashore in the states of New York, New Jersey and California, Nova Scotia, Peru, the Netherlands, South Africa and Tasmania. Belukha (Delphinapterus leucas) characterized by a white or yellowish color; This species does not have a dorsal fin. Newborn beluga whales are grayish-brown; as they grow, they become variegated and finally completely lighten, except for the grayish-brown edging of the caudal lobes. Each side of the upper jaw bears 10, and the lower - 8 teeth. With them, the whale grabs and holds food, consisting of squid and fish. Adult males reach a length of 3.5-5 m with an average weight of 900 kg, although in some individuals it exceeds 1500 kg; females are somewhat smaller. The beluga whale has a circumpolar distribution and lives among icebergs and floating ice in the Arctic. In July, it enters some northern rivers, chasing salmon as they rise to their spawning grounds. The whale itself migrates in herds, which can include from several to a thousand individuals, although large aggregations of these animals are now rare. Sometimes a herd of beluga whales gets caught in the ice. In 1898, off Cape Barrow in Alaska, 900 beluga whales found themselves cut off from the open sea by pack ice and locked in a space 135 m long and 45 m wide. The Eskimos took advantage of this, killing hundreds of whales in a day. The beluga whale swims at a speed of 5 knots (9.5 km/h). It makes various sounds resembling whistles, roars, squeals and ringing bells, interspersed with chirps and clicks. This whale received the name “beluga” for its coloring. However, it is not related to the white whale from Herman Melville's famous book Moby Dick - it is about an albino sperm whale. Narwhal or unicorn (Monodon monoceros) has an unusual feature - a long (up to 3 m) ivory-colored tusk, helically twisted clockwise and protruding forward from the left half of the upper jaw. In principle, the young develop two tusks, but in males only one develops, while in females both remain hidden in the gum. As far as is known, the tusk does not serve as an offensive weapon; however, it may be used in fights for females. The body length of a mature narwhal is 3.5-4.5 m, and that of a newborn is approx. 1.5 m. The color of adult individuals is dark, with numerous yellowish-white spots, but old whales are also almost white. The muzzle is rounded; no dorsal fin. Narwhals are inhabitants of the Arctic Ocean and the northern part of the Atlantic, although there are cases when they swam to the shores of England and Holland. When the sea freezes in winter, the males use their tusks to make holes in the ice crust; At such holes you can see beluga whales along with narwhals. When the animal emerges, air escapes from its blowhole with a piercing whistle. Narwhals also make low sounds, reminiscent of mooing, which are believed to be used by the mother to call her calf. The food of these whales consists of cod, salmon, rays, halibut, flounder, gobies, shrimp, cuttlefish and other sea animals, which they swallow whole. Narwhal meat is eaten by Eskimos, who also use their fat for their lamps and their intestines for making ropes and fishing rods. Beltteeth (Mesoplodon) reach an average length of 4.5-6.5 m. The snout is elongated into a tapering rounded beak. The head is small, narrow; the dorsal fin is small, moved far back. One of the distinguishing features is a pair of grooves on the throat. Belly teeth lead a more or less solitary lifestyle. They are often found in warm waters of both hemispheres. Their main food is squid and cuttlefish. In the males of one of the species - the belt tooth True (M. mirus) - the teeth are located at the very end of the lower jaw, and in the female they are not visible at all. The Antillean belttooth, or Gervais' whale (M. gervais), reaches a length of 6 m. The male Atlantic belttooth, or Sowerby's whale (M. bidens), has two very large teeth on the lower jaw. True beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) much larger and more massive than belt teeth. The body length of mature males reaches 8.5 m. At the end of the lower jaw there is a pair of thin conical teeth. The eyes are quite large for cetaceans. The color is black, brown or grayish depending on gender and age; Over the years, the color of the head becomes lighter. The dorsal fin is strongly shifted back. As is often observed in whales that feed on squid and cuttlefish, the sides and head of the beaked whale are usually covered with scars and scratches from wounds inflicted by these animals. Beaked whales migrate from the Arctic to the Antarctic in groups of 30-40 individuals. There is little information about their lifestyle. They are known to remain underwater for more than half an hour. Judging by the scars on the body of the males, fierce battles take place between them for the females. Tasmanov's beaked whale (Tasmacetus shepherdi) It received its scientific name from the Tasman Sea, where it was first discovered, and from the ancient Greek word “ketos” - whale. Almost nothing is known about this species, except that it has ca. 90 functional teeth, of which the two front teeth on the lower jaw are bulbously swollen. Northern swimmer (Berardius bairdi)- the largest representative of the beaked whale family, reaching a length of 12 m in adulthood. It has a small dorsal fin and a well-developed beak; the back and sides are black, and the belly is gray. On each side of the lower jaw there are two large teeth embedded in cartilaginous covers. The sounds made by this whale resemble the roar of a bull. Highbrow Bottlenose (Hyperoodon ampullatus), a species of beaked whales. Adults reach a length of 10.5 m and produce almost a ton of fat. A high frontal protrusion with a fat pad containing spermaceti almost hangs over the short, wide beak. Mature males have a white spot on their forehead. Breeding season is in April or May; the only cub is born a year after conception. Of the two pairs of teeth located at the end of the lower jaw, all adult females and many males retain only one. The high-browed bottlenose lives in the Arctic in summer, and in winter migrates south, to the latitude of the Mediterranean Sea. A closely related species, the flat-faced bottlenose (Hyperoodon planifrons), lives in Antarctica. Bottlenose fish migrate in large herds, often several hundred individuals, and dive to great depths in search of their favorite food - squid and cuttlefish.
see also

A whale is a marine animal of the chordate type, class mammals, order Cetacea. The whale received its modern name, consonant in many languages, from the Greek word kitoc, literally meaning “sea monster.”

Anatomically, the whale has teeth, but in some species they are in an undeveloped state. In toothless baleen whales, teeth are replaced by bony plates called baleen and adapted for straining food.

And only representatives of toothed whales grow identical cone-shaped teeth.

The whale's spine can contain from 41 to 98 vertebrae, and thanks to the spongy structure of the skeleton, elastic intervertebral discs give the animal's body special maneuverability and plasticity.

There is no cervical interception, and the head smoothly merges into the body, which noticeably tapers towards the tail. The whale's pectoral fins are modified and turned into flippers that perform the function of steering, turning and braking. The tail section of the body is flexible and muscular, has a slightly flattened shape and performs the function of a motor. At the end of the tail there are blades that are horizontal.

Most species of whales have an unpaired dorsal fin, which acts as a stabilizer when moving through the water column.

The skin of a whale is smooth, hairless, only single hairs and bristles grow on the face of baleen whales, similar to the whiskers of land animals.

The color of the whale can be monochromatic, spotted or counter-shaded, when the top of the animal is dark and the bottom is light. In some species, the color of the body changes with age.

Due to the absence of olfactory nerves, whales have almost completely lost their sense of smell. Taste buds are poorly developed, so unlike other mammals, whales only distinguish the salty taste. Whales have poor eyesight, most of these animals are myopic, but they have conjunctival glands that are absent in other animals.

In terms of whale hearing, the complex anatomy of the inner ear allows whales to detect sounds ranging from 150 Hz to the lowest ultrasonic frequencies. And due to the richly innervated skin, all whales have an excellent sense of touch.

Whales communicate with each other. The absence of vocal cords does not prevent whales from speaking and making special sounds using their echolocation apparatus. The concave bones of the skull, together with the fat layer, act as a sound lens and reflector, directing a beam of ultrasonic signals in the desired direction.

Most whales are quite slow, but if necessary, a whale's speed can be 20 - 40 km/h.

The lifespan of small whales is about 30 years, large whales live up to 50 years.

Where do whales live?

Whales live in all oceans. Most whale species are gregarious animals and prefer to live in groups of several tens or even thousands of individuals. Some species are subject to constant seasonal migrations: in winter, whales swim to warm waters where they give birth, and in summer they fatten in temperate and high latitudes.

What does a whale eat?

Most whales eat a certain type of food:

• planktivores eat exclusively plankton;
• teutophagous prefer to eat cephalopods;
• ichthyophages they eat only live fish;
• saprophages (detritivores) consume decomposed organic matter.

And only one animal from the order of cetaceans, the killer whale, feeds not only on fish, but also on pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, penguins), as well as other whales, dolphins and their calves.

Killer whale swims after a penguin

Types of whales with photos and names.

Modern classification divides the order of cetaceans into 2 main suborders:

• toothless or mustachioed whales (Mysticeti);
• toothy whales (Odontoceti), which includes dolphins, killer whales, sperm whales and porpoises.

The order Cetacea forms 38 genera, which include over 80 known species. Among this variety, several varieties can be distinguished:

• , aka humpback or long-armed minke whale(Megaptera novaeangliae)

got its name from the convex fin on its back, reminiscent of a hump. The body length of the whale reaches 14.5 meters, in some specimens it is 18 meters. The average weight of a humpback whale is 30 tons. The humpback whale differs from other representatives of the minke whale family in its shortened body, variety of colors and several rows of warty, leathery protrusions on the top of its head. Humpback whales live throughout the world's oceans, except the Arctic and Antarctic. Representatives of the North Atlantic population feed exclusively on fish: capelin, navaga, pollock, sardines, herring, haddock. The remaining whales eat small crustaceans, various shellfish and small schooling fish.

• Gray whale (California whale) (Eschrichtius robustus, Eschrichtius gibbosus)

the only species of whale that practices eating food from the bottom of the ocean: the animal plows the silt with a special keel-shaped outgrowth located under the lower jaw. The basis of the gray whale's food consists of many organisms that live on the bottom: annelids, snails, bivalves and other molluscs, crayfish, egg capsules and sea sponges, as well as small species of fish. Gray whales in adulthood have a body length of up to 12-15 m, the average weight of a whale varies from 15 to 35 tons, with females being larger than males. The body is brown-gray or dark brown, reminiscent of rocky shores in color. This species of whale lives in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, Chukchi and Bering, and in winter migrates to the Gulf of California and to the southern shores of Japan. Gray whales are record holders among animals for the duration of migrations - the distance covered by animals can reach 12 thousand km.

• bowhead whale (polar whale) (Balaena mysticetus)

long-lived among mammals. The average age of a polar whale is 40 years, but the known scientifically proven fact of longevity is 211 years. This is a unique species of baleen whale that spends its entire life in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere, often making its way like an icebreaker. The whale fountain rises to 6 m in height. The body length of mature females reaches 20-22 meters, males - 18 meters. The weight of a whale is from 75 to 150 tons. The animal's skin color is usually gray or dark blue. The belly and neck are lighter in color. An adult bowhead whale consumes almost 2 tons of various foods every day, consisting of plankton (crustaceans and pteropods).

• Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

the largest representative of toothed whales, and females are much smaller than males and have a body length of no more than 15 meters. The male whale grows up to 20 meters in length. The maximum weight of females reaches 20 tons, males - 50 tons. Sperm whales have such a distinctive appearance that they cannot be confused with other cetaceans. The giant head makes up over 35% of the length of the body, and, when viewed from the side, the sperm whale's muzzle looks like a slightly beveled rectangle. In the recess at the bottom of the head there is a mouth lined with 20-26 pairs of cone-shaped teeth. The weight of 1 whale tooth reaches 1 kilogram. The wrinkled skin of the sperm whale is often dark gray with a blue tint, although dark brown and even black individuals are found. Being a predator, the sperm whale hunts squid, cuttlefish, large fish (including some types of sharks), and also swallows all sorts of objects found in the ocean: empty bottles, rubber boots, toys, coils of wire. Sperm whales live throughout the world's oceans, but are more common in tropical waters than in cool ones. Most of the population is distributed off the coast of the Black Continent and the eastern coast of Asia.

• (Balaenoptera physalus)

the second largest animal on the planet. The length of an adult whale is 24-27 m, but thanks to its slender physique, the whale weighs only 40-70 tons. A distinctive feature of fin whales is the asymmetrical coloration of the muzzle: the right part of the lower jaw is white, and the left is dark. The whale's diet consists of small crustaceans. Fin whales live in all oceans: in winter they inhabit the waters of moderately warm zones, and in the warm season they swim to the waters of the Arctic and Antarctic.

• Blue whale (blue whale, vomited)(Balaenoptera musculus)

not only the largest whale in the world, but also the largest animal on our planet. The length of a blue whale can reach 33 meters, and the weight of a blue whale reaches 150 tons. This animal has a relatively slender build and a narrow muzzle. The body color within the species is uniform: most individuals are gray with a blue tint and gray spots scattered throughout the body, making the animal’s skin appear marbled. The blue whale feeds mostly on plankton and inhabits the entire World Ocean.

• Dwarf right whale (dwarf right whale, short-headed right whale)(Caperea marginata)

The smallest species of the suborder of baleen whales. The body of an adult does not exceed 4-6 m in length, and the whale’s body weight barely reaches 3-3.5 tons. Skin color is gray with dark spots, sometimes black. It is distinguished by a wave-like mode of movement, unusual for whales, and feeds on plankton. The pygmy whale is one of the rarest and smallest species of whales, living mainly in the waters of southern Australia and New Zealand.

Whale breeding

For the most part, whales are monogamous and breed once every 2 years. Whales reach the ability to reproduce by 3-5 years, but physically mature only at the age of 12 years. The mating season is very extended in time, because males are ready to mate for almost a whole year. Depending on the species, a female whale's pregnancy lasts from 7 to 18 months. Non-migratory whales give birth in the summer, the rest swim to warm waters and give birth there.

Childbirth occurs in the water column, one calf is born, and it always goes tail first. A newborn whale weighs 2-3 tons and is a quarter or even half the length of a female.

The whale calf can immediately move independently, but stays close to the mother, in whom the maternal instinct prevails above others.

Whales feed their young underwater. Whale milk is extremely thick and high-calorie, with a fat content of up to 54%, and does not spread in water. The mother feeds the calf for an average of 4-7 months (sperm whales up to 13 months). The cubs grow quickly and, upon completion of breastfeeding, increase in size to half their original length. All this time, the males of most whale species stay nearby and do not leave their family under any circumstances.

What is the difference between a whale and a sperm whale?

The sperm whale is a species of whale. It has its own specific features:

• The head of a sperm whale with a huge square forehead occupies from 1/4 to 1/3 of the length of the body. The head of other whales is relatively small: from 1/5 to 1/9 of the body length. The exception is some representatives of baleen whales, such as the bowhead whale, the southern right whale, whose head and body sizes are in the same proportion as those of sperm whales.
• The nostrils of whales are moved back and up. They can be paired (in baleen whales) or unpaired (one nostril) (in toothed whales). The sperm whale's nostrils are located asymmetrically and are moved forward, while one of them performs the respiratory function, and with the help of the other it makes sounds.
• The sperm whale belongs to the suborder of toothed whales, and its jaws are armed with numerous cone-shaped teeth. Mammals of the suborder baleen whales have horny plates instead of teeth, which replace teeth and are called baleen.
• Sperm whales have a huge spermaceti organ in their heads, filled with a fatty substance (spermaceti) that solidifies at low temperatures. It is assumed that this organ helps the animal dive and rise to the surface. Unlike the sperm whale, other whales do not have such an organ.
• Another difference is the dorsal fin. In whales it is solitary. In sperm whales it has an unusual structure for other whales - a small crest, followed by several similar ones, only smaller ones.
• The sperm whale is capable of diving to depths of up to 3000 m, which is much greater compared to other whales. It stays under water longer not only than other cetaceans, but also all living creatures on the planet that breathe atmospheric air.
• The sperm whale, like other toothed whales, feeds mainly on cephalopods, in particular squid and, in smaller quantities, fish, including deep-sea fish, grabbing them with its jaws. Baleen whales feed on plankton, small fish and other small vertebrates, filtering them from the water through the baleen.
• The pregnancy of sperm whales is longer than that of other cetaceans, lasting 16-18 months.
• All whales feed their young underwater. After a certain period of time, babies latch onto their mother's nipple for a few seconds. In this case, the cubs of all whales hold it between the tongue and the top of the palate, and the baby sperm whale holds it in the corner of the mouth.
• Sperm whales emit echolocation signals: clicks, crackles and creaks. Baleen whales, whose echolocation is not developed or is in its infancy, can pronounce a variety of sounds. For example, a bowhead whale can produce a growl, roar, moan, or purr; humpback whale songs are similar to the sounds of wind instruments; The moans of the fin whale resemble the sound of a flute from high to low tones. Many representatives of toothed whales make the same sounds as sperm whales, but at the same time they are capable of whistling, roaring, and killer whales can also scream like March cats.
• Whales swim faster than sperm whales, reaching speeds of more than 50 km/h. The maximum speed of sperm whales rarely exceeds 37 km/h, and generally does not exceed 10 km/h.

What is the difference between an orca and a whale?

The killer whale, like whales, belongs to the order Cetaceans, but it has certain characteristics:

• Killer whales differ from other whales in having a high dorsal fin, reaching 1 m in height. Moreover, males have a higher fin than females.
• In killer whales, in contrast to other whales, the head shortens with age, and the tail lengthens, that is, the tail grows faster than the head.
• Whales feed on plankton, small vertebrates, fish, and cephalopods. Killer whales, which also eat fish and shellfish at a young age, later become real predators, attacking warm-blooded animals. They eat sea lions, sea lions, elephant seals, porpoises, seals, walruses and even their fellow cetaceans. They swallow small prey whole, and large prey in large pieces.
• Whales are rather melancholic and slow animals. These sometimes clumsy sea giants are ready to filter water for hours, extracting krill from it. The killer whale is a fast and very active predator, deftly hunting prey swimming nearby.
• Killer whales are characterized by a strong attachment to each other and to their calves; their pod is difficult to separate. Many other whales lead a solitary lifestyle or gather in small groups of 3-4 individuals.

• For a long time, whales have been of great economic importance to humans. Bones and fat from the subcutaneous layers of the whale were boiled to obtain fat, which was used for the production of margarine, glycerin and was used in the soap industry.
• Spermaceti, extracted from the head of sperm whales, is included in cosmetics, including decorative lipstick and various creams. Before the invention of polymers, corsets for women's dresses and springs for upholstered furniture were made from whalebone.
• Insulin and other drugs are produced from whale pancreatic secretions. Ambergris, contained in the intestines of the sperm whale, is widely used in perfumery as a flavor stabilizer.
• Uncontrolled whaling inevitably led to the almost complete extinction of many whale populations. Today, most species are listed in the International Red Book, and commercial whale hunting is prohibited by the legislation of most civilized countries.

Whales are the largest animals on our planet. The largest representative of cetaceans is the blue whale, its body length can reach 33 meters and weight 120 tons. Externally, whales are very similar to fish, but they are not fish, but mammals that live in the water. It is believed that the ancestors of whales were land animals from the order Artiodactyls, which switched to an aquatic lifestyle approximately 50 million years ago.

Since whales are mammals, they are characterized by the main characteristics of all animals - they are warm-blooded, that is, they have a constant body temperature, breathe atmospheric air with the help of their lungs and feed their young with milk.

Whales have smooth skin without hair. This body surface provides whales with better gliding in the water. Whales have a thick layer of fat under their skin that keeps whales from freezing in cold water. The head of whales is large - in the blue whale its length reaches almost a third in relation to the entire length of the body. The eyes are very small and there are no ears, but whales are not deaf - behind the eyes they have small auditory openings leading to eardrums. Acute hearing is important for whales, as it allows them to navigate well in the water.

Whales belong to the order Cetaceans. This order is divided into three suborders - toothed whales, baleen whales and ancient whales (ancient whales are completely extinct).

Spreading

Whales live in all oceans and some seas. Some whales prefer the cold waters of the polar seas (bowhead whales), others are more thermophilic, and there are those that can live in both cold and warm waters (sperm whales and killer whales).

Nutrition

The feeding methods of whales are different and depend on which suborder the whale belongs to - toothed or baleen.

Toothed whales have sharp teeth that allow them to successfully hunt large squid and large fish. The killer whale can hunt not only fish, but also seals, birds and other marine life.

Baleen whales do not have teeth, but have special whiskers located on the upper jaw. Through these special plates, whales filter water and extract plankton from it - small crustaceans, which are the main source of food for baleen whales. Some baleen whales feed on small schooling fish, filtering them out of the water, just like plankton.

Lifestyle

A female whale usually gives birth to one calf every two years. He is well developed and can swim immediately. For the first few months, the baby whale feeds on its mother's milk and grows very quickly. The milk of a female whale is thick and nutritious, its fat content reaches 54%.

A whale is considered an adult at about three years of age, but its body can increase in size until about 12 years of age.

Brief information about whales.