Is a whale a fish or a mammal? Is a whale a fish or a mammal? Interesting facts about whales

Whales and cetaceans belong to the order of mammals. Whales - the largest animals in size - perfectly adapted to the permanent habitat under water. The roots of the name "whale" are Greek. Translated from this language, the whale is a sea monster. There are 3 suborders of cetaceans. These are ancient whales, toothed whales and baleen whales. The two suborders that inhabit our planet to this day have large differences in both internal and external structure.

Cetaceans have a streamlined body. Evolution has caused the hind limbs to atrophy and the forelimbs to flippers. The skin is characterized by high elasticity, water resistance and elasticity. All this reduces friction when swimming. Cetaceans, as a rule, are endowed with a massive head, which almost immediately passes into the body.

Cetaceans do not have skin glands, with the exception of two mammary glands, which protrude only when the female has a calf. For the rest of the time, they are located in longitudinal skin pockets in the posterior half of the body. Coloring can be spotty, monophonic and anti-shadow. The latter means that the color is light below and dark above. In addition, age-related changes in body color are characteristic of some cetaceans.

Cetacean eyes are located on the sides of the head. Their sizes are relatively small. And the eyelids are undeveloped. Many cetaceans have monocular vision and shortsightedness. The oily secretion of garderoic acid protects cetacean eyes from the effects of water: both mechanical and chemical. Cetaceans are endowed with conjunctive glands. The latter are not known in other mammals. Cetaceans have lost their sense of smell, but they have a very developed sense of touch. There are communication signals that vary significantly depending on the situation.

Cetaceans are predominantly monogamous; pregnancy in females lasts for 7-18 months. Whale milk is very nutritious, the fat content of which reaches 54.6%.

Cetaceans are multifunctional. The function of the pectoral fins (aka flippers) can be defined as “rudders of depth”. In addition, it is these modified forelimbs that provide braking and cornering. The hind limbs of the cetaceans atrophied, and the main locomotor organ is the caudal part of the body. The latter is very muscular and flexible. At the end of the tail of the cetaceans are paired tail lobes. The role of the stabilizer during swimming in most cetaceans is performed by the unpaired dorsal fin. Dorsal and caudal fins are skin lesions. They are devoid of the skeleton. It is worth noting that dorsal fin is characterized by variable elasticity - this means that the elasticity of the fin depends on the swimming speed of the whale. Variable elasticity is achieved with special blood vessels. Both the dorsal and pectoral fins possess it, but to a slightly lesser extent than the caudal fin. Another function of cetaceans is the thermoregulatory function. It consists in the fact that, to a greater extent, it is through the fins that the excess heat leaves. Cetaceans are highly specialized mammals. In appearance, cetaceans are similar to fish. However, the internal structure of cetaceans and fish has very significant differences. The following features are characteristic of cetaceans. First, breathing through the lungs and warm-bloodedness. Secondly, on the skin of cetaceans there is a slight hairline. Thirdly, intrauterine development of the fetus. Signs that combine cetaceans with other mammals, of course, include feeding the young with milk.

Cetacean lungs are not associated with the oral cavity. This distinguishes them from other mammals. Cetaceans are able to breathe air on the surface of the water. It happens as follows. Air fills the lungs of cetaceans. During that time, while the whale is underwater, the air is saturated with moisture and heats up. At that moment, when the whale falls on the surface of the water, the cold outside air comes into contact with warmer air, which the whale exhales with force. In this case, a column of condensed vapor is observed. This is the famous cetacean fountain.

The cetacean respiratory system has undergone very evolutionary changes. Once the nostrils of cetaceans were on the front of the head. However, evolution has led them to move up, and now the nostrils are one or two spiracles (respiratory openings). The latter makes it easier to obtain oxygen at the time of whale diving on the surface of the water. The risk of water entering the lungs is eliminated by the fact that the oral cavity has no connection with the air duct. In addition, the breather is also closed by valves while the whale is under water. Cetaceans emerge on the surface of the water approximately every five to ten minutes to fill the lungs with air. However, they can be under water for approximately forty-five minutes. When cetaceans rise to the surface, they immediately quickly release the used air, which is accompanied by a very loud noise. This noise is distinguishable even at a considerable distance from the whale.

A cetacean fountain is a stream of water. No, this is a fallacy. The fountain is the same exhaust air that cetaceans exhale with force. The analogy with a water fountain is due to the fact that the exhausted warm air contains a lot of water vapor. In order to completely change the air in the lungs, cetaceans several times in a row release a fountain. After this “procedure”, the whale is immersed in water. The immersion depth is sometimes very significant, and for some whales it can even reach six hundred meters! Large cetaceans are able to completely break away from the water when jumping.

A streamlined body is characteristic of cetaceans. The skin is smooth and without hair. All this is necessary for whales to reduce water resistance when swimming, friction is reduced due to the elasticity, water resistance and high elasticity of the skin of whales. Due to the fact that cetaceans are often found in cold waters, they are characterized by the presence of a thick layer of fat. This is absolutely necessary for them to protect against hypothermia.

Subcutaneous fat in cetaceans performs several functions. The thickness of the adipose tissue under the skin can vary from three centimeters to thirty centimeters. Protection against hypothermia is only one of the functions of subcutaneous fat, due to which the body temperature of cetaceans ranges from 35 to 40 ° C. In addition to protection against hypothermia, subcutaneous fat protects the body of the whale from loss of water. It holds water in the body of cetaceans. Otherwise, water would diffuse into the environment. Another function of the subcutaneous fat layer is that it serves as an energy reserve. In winter, it plays an exceptional role in nutrition.

The blue whale (blue whale) is the largest creature on the planet. This is actually so. Its weight can be almost two hundred tons. In length, the blue whale can reach thirty-three meters. This is really a huge animal.

The range of distribution of blue whale extends from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Once this was exactly so, that is, the blue whale inhabited almost the entire oceans. The exceptions were only some small seas. However, thanks to human efforts, the blue whale was almost exterminated. Whaling led to the fact that the blue whale was listed in the Red Book.

Blue whales keep alone. Only occasionally. Basically, blue whales hold two to three whales together and live away from the coast. The same small groups of blue whales often gather in places where plankton accumulates.

A blue whale travels at a speed of ten kilometers per hour. Ten to twelve kilometers per hour is the average speed of blue whales. When moving, these whales constantly change direction, and during the pursuit they move in a straight line with a speed that reaches twenty-four kilometers per hour.

Blue whale daily absorbs a huge number of kilocalories. It's hard to believe, but this daily amount is about one million kilocalories per day. A blue whale absorbs approximately one tonne of crustaceans (krill) per day. This is done as follows: a whale swims through a colony of crustaceans, while swallowing a huge number of them. After that, the crustaceans themselves are filtered using a tongue (separated from the water), the thickness of which is more than three meters. This is surprising, but the weight of the tongue of a blue whale can exceed the weight of an elephant.

Seasonal migrations of whales are associated with making huge distances. For example, a well-known fact is that one of the blue whales covered a distance of three thousand kilometers for forty-seven days. This kind of travel often leads the blue whales away from their pastures. For many days and even months, they don’t eat anything at all. Sustainability is maintained through the use of accumulated resources.

Gray whales do the longest migrations. In a year they are able to swim twelve thousand kilometers. Their route runs from the shores of California (where gray whales winter) to the Bering Sea (where gray whales stay for summer feeding). And then back. Some whales also migrate over fairly long distances. However, these migrations do not have a pronounced seasonal period and are less regular. And some whales are relatively sedentary. Their "migrations" occur within a small water area. It is worth noting that any kind of migration is carried out by whales on certain routes and on the territory they know.

Gray whales are the oldest species of baleen whales. They have been known to people for many centuries, since their whole life is connected with coastal waters. Once upon a time, three populations of baleen whales inhabited the waters of the oceans. This is the Atlantic and two Pacific (eastern and western). However, the Atlantic population of baleen whales was exterminated as early as the eighteenth century, and by the middle of the twentieth century, the western population was almost destroyed. The diet of gray whales includes mainly bottom crustaceans; they feed for five warm months. This is the time when the sea is free of people. For the rest of the year, cetaceans maintain viability due to the accumulated fat in the warm months. Gray whales also have seasonal migrations.

The western gray whale population is on the verge of extinction. A critical condition is reported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. At the moment, only about a hundred individuals remain. Of these, only 20-25 females are able to give offspring.

The length of the newborn blue whale is approximately six to seven meters. After an eleven-month pregnancy, the baby is born with a weight of more than two tons. A blue whale calf consumes an average of half a ton of milk daily. Within a week, the baby's weight becomes twice as large as compared to birth weight.

Whales make the loudest sound compared to other living things. The sound used by whales to communicate can be 188 decibels and can last up to thirty seconds. The sound is so loud (it surpasses even the roar of the jet engine) that the whales recognize it at a distance exceeding one and a half thousand kilometers. Sound for animals whose aquatic environment is the most important source of information. Sound perception is possible due to the bones of the skull and lower jaw.

Whales lack vocal cords. Sound reproduction in baleen whales and toothed whales occurs in different ways. Moustached thanks to the pharynx and larynx, and toothed due to vibration of the “sound lips”. At what frequencies whales perceive sound signals, at the same frequencies they emit. The cetaceans have a large set of sounds through which their communication takes place. Signals of anxiety, mating, nutrition, fear, pain, etc. are significantly different from each other.

A whalebone is a “device” for filtering food from water. Basically we are talking about marine plankton. A whalebone characteristic of toothless whales is a series of horny plates that hang from the upper jaw.

Whales have poor eyesight. This is indeed so. Many whales are not able to make out an object located in close proximity to them.

Cetaceans are leaders among mammals by brain mass. For example, in a sperm whale, the brain mask varies from 7.8 to 9.2 kilograms. However, as a percentage of the total body weight, the mass of the brain in cetaceans is small - in blue whales it is only about 0.007% of the total body weight. It is worth noting the fact that the brain in cetaceans is highly differentiated.

Cetaceans have lost their sense of smell. Almost lost. In whiskered whales, the olfactory nerves and olfactory lobes of the brain are in their infancy. In toothed whales, they are generally absent. As for taste, it is not known exactly, but presumably it is poorly developed. With the help of taste, whales are able to distinguish salinity of water.

The cetaceans have a well-developed sense of touch. This is indeed so. The skin of the cetaceans is richly innervated. For example, baleen whales have tactile hairs on their heads (which, however, are quite rare). To a certain extent, they serve to search for accumulations of plankton.

The hearing organs in cetaceans are very changed. They do not have an auricle, and the narrowed ear canal opens with a small opening behind the eye. The auditory meatus appears to be a separate sensory organ. In this role, he perceives a change in pressure.

Cetacean feeding is specialized. Whales can be planktophages, and ichthyophages, and teutophages, and sacrophages. For example, killer whales feed not only on invertebrates and fish, but can even eat birds and seals.

Cetaceans are predominantly monogamous. Mostly cetaceans breed once every two years. The duration of pregnancy in different species of cetaceans varies from seven to eighteen months. Those cetacean species that are characterized by seasonal migrations will usually give birth in winter in warm waters. Non-migratory species of cetaceans will give birth in summer.

Multiplicity is characteristic of cetaceans. At the beginning of pregnancy, a female cetacean in the uterus may have two or three embryos. However, in most cases only one of them remains - twins are extremely rare. Childbirth in cetaceans is carried out under water. A baby is born already well developed. Its length varies from one fourth to one second the length of the mother’s body. The baby immediately after birth is already able to move independently. The first respiratory act of the cub occurs at the moment of its first emergence reflexively (unconditioned reflex).

Cetacean females are endowed with a strong maternal instinct. After birth, the baby spends all the time next to his mother. Using the pressure of the hydrodynamic field around the mother’s body, the baby swims passively next to the mother.

Feeding in cetaceans is carried out underwater. This is often the case. The baby consumes milk very often, but each “meal” occurs within just a few seconds. Feeding takes place as follows: the cetacean calf tightly captures the mother’s nipple, after which milk, using special muscle contractions of the mother, enters the calf’s mouth.

Whale milk is very nutritious. Milk is very thick. The color is usually cream. The milk fat content reaches 54%. The surface tension of cetacean milk is approximately thirty times that of water. That is why the stream of milk destined for the cub does not dissolve in the water. A blue whale produces approximately two hundred liters of milk daily. The baby is growing very fast. By the end of feeding (and its duration in the wild in different species of cetaceans varies from four months to thirteen months), its size increases by at least a third.

The increase in cetacean body size occurs over twelve years. Although whales reach puberty at the age of three to six years. You can talk about the physical maturity of a whale after its skeleton is completely ossified. It is worth noting the fact that the process of ossification of the spine in cetaceans proceeds from both its ends. However, from the tail end is somewhat faster than from the head end. The process of ossification of the spine ends in the thoracic region. The life span of cetaceans reaches fifty years. The main enemy of cetaceans is man.

Cetaceans are very significant for humans. This was until recently - before many whales were on the verge of extinction. Man used the organs of cetaceans in order to obtain technical and food products. For example, theatrical makeup, soap, laundry detergents, various lubricants, margarine were obtained from cetacean fat boiled from subcutaneous fat. For the manufacture of printing ink and linoleum, polymerized fat was used. Whale fat (more precisely, its protein part) was used to prepare glue and gelatin. And the meat of cetaceans in various forms was eaten. In addition, endocrine glands of cetaceans came in handy for drugs used in medicine. We are talking, for example, about insulin. Naturally, such a large-scale use of cetaceans could not but affect the number of their individuals. Many whales were on the verge of extinction and were included in the Red Book.

February 19 is World Whale Day. This holiday was established in 1986. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has banned industrial whaling this year and this day around the world. A ban was imposed on the sale of whale meat in all corners of the planet. Environmentalists consider this day to be the day of protection for all marine and ocean mammals.

For scientific purposes, you can catch whales. After 1986, when whaling was banned around the world, Japan nevertheless found a loophole that allowed it to catch whales for "scientific purposes." For example, in 2007, a catch quota of almost a thousand whales was established. However, as soon as the "scientific work" came to an end, whale meat fell into Japanese restaurants. Japan intends to resume catching whales during the breeding season, as well as fishing for humpback whales. The latter are valuable in that amber is formed in their intestines. It is very expensive and is used in perfumes. The grayish substance of ambergris gives resistance to expensive perfumes. On February 19, 2010, Australia demanded that the Japanese authorities stop fishing for whales. If this does not happen, then a criminal case may be instituted in The Hague. There is an international criminal court.

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

And because the whale is a marine mammal that comes from terrestrial ancestors. For many millennia spent in water, whales began to resemble fish in shape, but they remained similar to land animals in their body structure and lifestyle.

For example, whale fins have an internal structure resembling a five-finger hand. On the trunk of some whales there are even bones in place of the hind legs! But the most important difference between whales and fish is that, like all other mammals, whales feed their young with breast milk. These cubs do not hatch from eggs or eggs, but are born alive. And for some time after birth, the kitten stays with her mother, who takes care of him.

Since all mammals have warm blood, and the whale does not have fur that warms it in ice water, instead it has a blubber, which is a layer of subcutaneous tissue filled with fat and retaining heat no worse than a fur coat.

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

Why does a whale have a fountain?

Whales are not fish, but mammals. They are warm-blooded creatures, their cubs are born by live birth, and do not hatch from eggs. Little kittens feed on mother's milk, just like other mammals.

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

Since whales do not have gills, they breathe lightly, and their respiratory system was most affected by evolution. Previously, their nostrils were on the front of the head, then they gradually moved up. Now they form one or two respiratory openings, which facilitate the production of oxygen on the surface of the water.

Underwater, the breathing openings are closed by two small valves, and since the air passage is not connected to the mouth, there is no danger that water will enter the lungs.

Whales usually rise to the surface to breathe air every 5-10 minutes, but sometimes they can stay underwater for 45 minutes! Having emerged on the surface of the water, the whale immediately releases the used air from the lungs. When he does this, a loud noise is heard, heard at a considerable distance. And what does the 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 launches the fountain several times, after which it is deeply immersed in water. Some whales are known for diving to a depth of 600 meters! Sometimes large whales lift their tail above the water or even jump into the air, completely breaking away from the surface of the water!

Lives in water and outlines like a fish, then why is it not considered a fish?

Which whale is the largest?

The largest whale is at the same time the largest animal in the world. This is a blue whale - its length can exceed 30 meters, and its weight reaches 125 tons.

It can be found in any seas, but most often it comes across in the Pacific Ocean. It belongs to the group of toothless whales (another group is called toothless whales).

It is hard to imagine that the largest animal in the world can do without teeth. How do they do it? They have a device in their mouths made up of hundreds of horny plates called whalebone. They grow on the palate (upper part of the mouth) and form something like a sieve.

The blue whale feeds as follows: with its mouth wide open, it swims quickly through the prey cluster, which consists mainly of small mollusks, shrimps and fish. Closing his mouth, he forcefully pushes water out of it. Water is filtered through a whalebone, but prey remains. The whale's mouth resembles a huge capacity. And the length of his head is about a third of the length of the body.

Among toothy whales, the largest are sperm whales. They have a huge head and reach 20 meters in length. Killer whale, or killer whale (actually a large dolphin), the only representative of cetaceans that feeds on other warm-blooded animals. The killer whale is about 9 meters long and easily overtakes seals. Flocks of killer whales attack even large whales.

Due to the fact that whales live in water and have a fish-like body, we often compare them with fish. But the structure of the skeleton, the circulatory system and the brain, they are not at all like fish.

What can be obtained from whales?

At one time, whaling was very important. Now, for most of us, the very idea of \u200b\u200bhunting whales may seem a little strange. What good can we get from these huge creatures?

But it turns out that the amount of valuable products obtained as a result of hunting for whales is very large. Thus, excellent fat is obtained from blubbering of a whale (fat-containing subcutaneous tissue). This fat is used for lighting, and it is also used in the manufacture of soap.

Many whales have very tasty meat. Fertilizers are made from their bones. From sperm whales get spermaceti - or fat, which is located in the head cavity. Spermaceti is used to make ointments, cosmetics and candles.

From sperm whales, ambergris is also a very valuable substance produced in their intestines, which is used in the manufacture of perfumes. Sperm whale teeth and narwhal tusk represent a very valuable bone, comparable to ivory. And from the skin of a white whale they develop something like leather.

Do you know that all cetaceans are mammals? Their ancestors once lived on land. They still have fins similar to five-fingered hands. But for many millennia living in water, they have adapted to such a life.

A whale is a sea monster. In the truest sense of the word. Indeed, this is how the Greek word is translated, from which the name of this amazing animal came from - κῆτος. A lot can be said about marine inhabitants belonging to the cetacean order. But it is worth stopping at the most interesting facts.

Title

The first step is to give an answer to a question that worries many. And it sounds like this: “Is a whale a fish or a mammal?” The second of the proposed options is correct.

A whale is a large marine mammal that has no relation to porpoises or dolphins. Although they are included in the order Cetacea (cetaceans). In general, the names are very interesting. Grinds and killer whales, for example, are considered whales. Although in accordance with a strict official classification they are dolphins, which few people know about.

And it is better to trust a strict classification, since in the old days they called leviathans - sea multi-headed monsters that could devour the planet. In a word, an entertaining story has a name.

Origin

Well, the answer to the question “Is a whale a fish or a mammal?” Was given above. Now we can talk about the types of these creatures.

To begin with, it is worth noting that all whales are descendants of land mammals. And those who belonged to the cloven-hoofed squads! This is not fiction, but a scientifically proven fact that was established after molecular genetic examinations. There is even a monophyletic group (treasure), combining whales, hippos and all artiodactyls. All of them are whale-hoofed. According to research, the whales and hippos descended from the same creature that lived on our planet about 54 million years ago.

Detachments

So now about whale species. Or rather, about subcontracts. The first species is baleen whales. They are the largest of modern mammals. Their physiological feature is a mustache with a filter-like structure.

The second species is toothed whales. Carnivores, fast creatures. They are superior to toothless whales. Only sperm whale can be compared to them in size. And their feature, as you might have guessed, is the presence of teeth.

And the third species is the ancient whales. Those that no longer exist. They belong to the paraphyletic group of animals from which modern whale species later descended.

Anatomical features

Now it is worth considering the description of the whale from a physiological point of view. This animal is a mammal, and warm-blooded. Accordingly, each whale breathes with the help of the lungs, and their cubs are fed milk. And the hair of these creatures has, albeit reduced.

Since these mammals are exposed to the sun, their skin is protected from ultraviolet rays. True, in each species it is expressed differently. A blue whale, for example, can increase the content in its skin of special pigments that absorb radiation (in simple terms, it “tans”). Sperm whale protects against oxygen radicals by triggering a "stress response". Finwal practices both methods.

By the way, these creatures maintain their warm-bloodedness due to the presence of a thick fat layer under the skin. It is he who protects the internal organs of marine animals from hypothermia.

Oxygen absorption process

It is interesting to talk about how whales breathe. These mammals can be under water for at least 2 minutes and a maximum of 40. True, there is a record holder, and it is a sperm whale that can stay under water for 1.5 hours.

The outer nostrils of these creatures are in the upper part of the head. They have special valves that reflexively close the airways when the whale is immersed in water. At the time of diving, they open. It is important to know that the airway is not connected to the esophagus. So the whale absorbs air safely, without harm to itself. Even if there is water in his mouth. And by the way, talking about how the whales breathe, it is worth noting that they do it quickly. Speeds contribute to shortened bronchi and trachea. By the way, their lungs are very powerful. In one breath, the whale renews air by 90%. And the person is only 15%.

It is worth noting that through the nostrils (also called the breath) at the moment of emergence, a column of condensed steam comes out. The same fountain, which is the hallmark of the whales. This is due to the fact that the whale exhales warm air from itself, which is in contact with the outside (cold). So the fountain is the result of temperature exposure. The vapor column of different whales differs in height and shape. The most impressive are the “fountains” of large mammals. They come out of their breathing chamber with such enormous power that the process is accompanied by a loud trumpet sound. In good weather, you can hear it from the shore.

Food

A few words are worth telling about what the whales eat. The diet in animals is diverse. Toothed whales, for example, eat fish, cephalopods (squid, cuttlefish) and in some cases mammals.

Whiskered representatives feed on plankton. They absorb a huge amount of crustaceans, filtering it out of the water or with the help of a mustache. Small fish, these animals can also eat.

The most interesting thing is that in winter, whales hardly eat. And for this reason, in the summer they continuously absorb food. This approach helps them accumulate a thick layer of fat.

By the way, they need a lot of food. Large whales consume about three tons of food per day.

Bright representative

Of particular note is the blue whale. This is the largest animal of all that has ever existed on our planet. It reaches a length of 33 meters and weighs about 150 tons.

By the way, the blue whale is a representative of the mustachioed suborder. It feeds on plankton. He has a perfectly developed filter apparatus, due to which he filters the absorbed mass inside.

There are three subspecies of this animal. There is a dwarf, southern and northern whale. The last two live in cold round-polar waters. Dwarf is found in tropical seas.

It is believed that blue whales live about 110 years. In any case, so many were the most adult individuals encountered by people.

Unfortunately, the blue whale is not such a common marine inhabitant. In the XX century, uncontrolled hunting was opened on these animals. By the middle of the last century, only 5 thousand individuals remained around the world. People committed a terrible act, destroying them. Emergency protective measures were taken. At the moment, the number of individuals has doubled, but blue whales are still at risk.

Beluga whale

This is a representative of the toothed whale family. Beluga is not very large. Its mass reaches only 2 tons, and its length is 6 meters. Belugas have excellent hearing, keen perception of any sounds, as well as the ability to echolocation. In addition, these are social creatures - there are cases in which these whales saved a person. In oceanariums, they get along well, get used to people over time, and even become attached to workers.

Their diet is diverse. Belugas eat cod, flounder, herring, shellfish, seaweed, shrimp, lampreys, jellyfish ribs, pink salmon, gobies, sea dogs, crayfish and many other marine animals suitable for food.

These creatures, like many others, also suffered from human cruelty. Whalers easily drove them to the shallows, and beluga whales in the literal sense of the word were broken. But at the moment, this species is gradually recovering. It is hoped that people will not ruin anything.

There are dozens of other representatives of cetaceans, and all in their own way are special and interesting. And I hope that every species that we know will be preserved. The sea world should not lose a single one of them, since each of them is a real miracle and natural value.

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. Outwardly, whales are very similar to fish, but these are not fish, but mammals that live in water. It is believed that the ancestors of the whales were terrestrial animals from the cloven-hoofed squad, which switched to an aquatic lifestyle about 50 million years ago.

Since whales are mammals, they are characterized by the main signs 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, hairless skin. This body surface provides the whales with better glide in the water. Under the skin, whales have a thick layer of fat that prevents the whales from freezing in cold water. The head of a whale is large - in a blue whale its length reaches almost a third of the total body length. The eyes are very small, there are no auricles, but the whales are not deaf - behind the eyes they have small auditory openings leading to the eardrum. Keen hearing is important for whales, as it allows them to navigate well in the water.

Whales are cetaceans. This subgroup is divided into three suborders - toothed whales, baleen whales and ancient whales (ancient whales are completely extinct).

Spread

Whales live in all oceans and in 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).

Food

The methods of feeding in whales are different and depend on whether the whale belongs to the toothed or to the baleen.

Toothed whales have sharp teeth that can successfully hunt large squids and large fish. The killer whale can hunt not only for fish, but also for seals, birds and other marine inhabitants.

Baleen whales have no teeth, but there are special whiskers located on the upper jaw. Through these special plates, whales filter the water and extract plankton, small crustaceans, which are the main food source for baleen whales. Some baleen whales feed on small flocks of fish, filtering it out of the water, like plankton.

Lifestyle

Once every two years, usually one cub is born in a female whale. He is well developed and immediately knows how to swim. The first few months, the kitten eats mother’s milk and grows very quickly. The milk of a female whale is thick and nutritious; its fat content reaches 54%.

An adult whale is considered to be about three years old, but its body can increase in size up to about 12 years.

Summary of whales.