Whales are awesome creatures aren’t they, but what does the average person know about them? Probably not a lot apart from that they are really big and they eat lots of fish. If you want to know more about the wonderful world of whales, then grab a brew and relax, here are some of the most amazing facts about whales.
What are whales?
Whales are sociable creatures; they are mammals and breath air, although they spend all of their time in water. They create milk much like any other mammal, they use it to feed their young. Whales take very good care of their young to ensure that they learn the skills they need to survive in the vast oceans.
Interesting whale facts
- Male humpback whales – Sing a variety of complex songs in winter breeding areas, they can last up to 20 minutes and can be heard for miles around. You can see these Whales whilst whale watching in Bermagui, an absolute must if you are going to NSW.
- ‘Blue whales’ – Are the largest animal in existence and they can grow to be up to 90 feet, even more in some rare cases, in addition, they can weigh anything up to 150,000kg!
- Bowhead whales – Live the longest out of all the species of whales and most other mammals, they can live for more than 200 years!
- Killer whales – Can live for over 100 years, strangely enough ‘killer whales’ are highly sociable creatures and live in a family focused unit.
- Beluga whales – These whales have flexible necks which enable them to move their heads, they also have a highly complex set of communication techniques which include whistles, clicks and chirps, they have a nickname of “canaries of the sea’.
- Gray whales – They make one of the longest annual migrations, travelling around 16’000km on a round trip.
- North Atlantic right whales – have some of the most amazing feeding behavior, but due to their surfacing feeding habits they can be subject to collisions.
- Sperm whales – These whales were nearly extinct by whalers who were hunting the whales for their ‘blubber’ and oils found in their massive heads.
- Pods – Whales live in groups knows as pods and there are something like 75 species of whales across the world.
Whales are important?
In short, whales are really special creatures, they are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of our oceans ecosystem and without them we wouldn’t have the world that we have today. There is a lot that goes on either in or under the ocean, going to see them will help with understanding just how important they are.
