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Some of the most stunning wild animals on the planet, whales, from the Bowhead whale to the Sperm whale, are one of the few species of eithe mammal or fish that can be found in every global ocean. Mammals which are fully acclimated to oceanic life (making them members of the cetacean order), like dolphins, whales are descendants of mammals that lived on land millions of years ago and gradually returned to the water.

There are two types of whales, easily identified by their feeding habits and physical attributes, baleen whales and toothed whales. Most whales are baleen whales, with a strainer or sieve-like structure in the jaw which helps them filter their food from the water. Toothed whales are meat eaters (carnivorous) and the teeth referenced in their name assist them in dexterously and efficiently hunting and eating their quarry. Additionally, all baleen whales have two blow holes; toothed hales have only one.

The anatomy of both species of whale is highly complex and allows them to survive in water. The flipper and dorsal fin provide a means of balance and assist them in moving through the water. The famous blowholes permit the whale to take in large amounts of air when they rise to the surface, making it possible for them to stay submerged for extended periods of time before having to reemerge for more air. While whales and dolphins are closely related, and sometimes confused with one another, they are two separate classes separated by size and other physical characteristics. Another little known fact is that whales are closely related to the hippopotamus. Many scientists believe that both of them evolved from a similar species more than 50 million years ago!

While we all know that whales live exclusively in water, they have a tendency to stay where it is warmer, which is why they tend to move in closer to coastal areas during the winter months. Because they are mammals, and therefore warmblooded, they migrate to wherever will keep their body temperatures warm enough. And while most species of whales are found living in one specific area, killer whales can be fond almost everywhere. Additionally, whales can be found in both fresh and salt water. And while most whales live in warmer areas, most of the giant species of whales, due to the large amount of blubber they have to keep their bodies warm, live in areas that are cold, including the arctic.

Whales communicate to each other through a system called echolocation, which is similar to sonar. As the whales make noises, the noises travel through the water for miles, gaining more power from whatever else happens to be in the water. returning to the whale that originally sent the sounds. Only humpback whales employ a form of communication known as “singing.” The sounds the humpbacks make, usually during migrating or mating, consist of repeated sequences and rhythms, very similar in character to lyrics with a chorus.

There is plenty of research on the whale, in particular about it’s mating habits. Most whale species will have only one calf every fe years, and that they make excellent parents, nursing their young for the first year of life. However, as far as mates go, they are not exactly picky: research has shown that a female will reproduce with as many males as possible during her mating season to increase her chances of conceiving and producing a calf.

There is so much information about these fascinating creatures, it is impossible to get even a small percentage into one article. However, it is definitely worth your while to investigate further these magnificent, intriguing giants of the sea.