When we think about whales, we typically think about how these large fish are some of the most massive living creatures on the planet, and that they live in very cold water.
However, whales are so much more than just big! In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at some fun and interesting facts about whales.
We’ll first take a closer look at some basic facts before jumping into the fun stuff, so without further ado, let’s just get right into it.
Basic Whale Facts
Basic Whale Facts
- Name: Whale
- Scientific classification: Cetartiodactyla
- Latin name: Cetacea
- Appearance: The whale is an open-ocean, warm-blooded mammal that nurses its young. Depending on its species, whales differ in size and color. They also have a thick layer of blubber, or fat, that provides them with insulation in the cold ocean waters.
- Full weight and size: The size and weight of a whale depends on its species. However, their sizes range from 8.5 feet long to 98 feet long, and they can weigh anywhere from 135 kilograms to 190 tonnes.
- Habitat: Whales can be found in every ocean on the planet, though they generally prefer living in the colder waters of the North and South Pole. However, studies show that they migrate closer to the equator during mating season.
- Diet: Whales eat a variety of sea creatures. These include krill and plankton, squid, seals, and even other species of whale.
- Average life expectancy: Whales can live anywhere from 30 to 90 years, depending on what species they belong to.
10 Fun and Interesting Facts About Whales
1. Whales are typically grouped into two different categories
When researchers group whales into categories, they split them into one of two groups. The first group consists of baleen whales; these are whales that have fibrous teeth-like structures in their mouths that help them trap their prey and consume their food.
These “teeth” also help them filter out unwanted substances that might float into their mouths. The second group consists of toothed whales like orcas, sperm whales, and beluga whales. They have teeth, and these teeth allow them to consume larger sea creatures like seals, squid, and bigger fish.
2. The blue whale is the largest creature on the Earth
It’s hard to imagine the size of the blue whale in one’s head, particularly because this massive creature is the biggest one on the planet.
The blue whale can weigh over 150 tonnes, and, depending on where it is in the world, can grow up to a length of more than 100 feet long. The largest blue whale that was ever recorded weighed over 190 tonnes and was more than 110 feet long!
To put that number into simpler terms, it meant that the blue whale was around the same weight as 30 elephants. Unfortunately, blue whales are an endangered species, which means that they must be conserved and protected.
3. Whales and dolphins belong to the same family
There is a common “fun fact” that often circulates online that states that whales and dolphins are the same, and we’re here to affirm this fact! The truth is that whales and dolphins belong to the same family or classification, Cetacea.
Within this classification, there are two suborders of whales that we mentioned earlier, baleen and toothed whales. Dolphins come under the toothed whale category, along with orcas. Orcas are actually just long dolphins that kill people and other fish, making dolphins a type of whale!
4. Whales are incredibly intelligent creatures
One of the most fascinating things about whales is that they are hugely intelligent creatures. Researchers have discovered that they have the ability to teach other whales and learn from them, as well as cooperate, and even grieve.
One of the first ways that whale intelligence was measured was actually through the size of its brain. Since the brain of any creature is used to utilized for bodily functions, researchers initially believed that the brain was the whale’s primary source of intelligence.
However, they have since learned that intelligence is not obtained solely from the brain, but also from learning from other whales, playing with them, and other forms of social interaction.
5. Whales are known for being conscious breathers
Just like other mammals, whales sleep whenever necessary. However, unlike other kinds of mammals, they cannot afford to be unconscious for long periods of time, because if they are unconscious, they may drown underwater.
In order to understand how they avoid drowning while sleeping, and consciously breathing at the same time, researchers observed some whales in captivity.
They discovered that some toothed whales slept with one side of their brains at a time. Doing this allowed the whales to rest, but also remain conscious enough that they could flee at the sign of predators, and swim whenever necessary.
6. Whales are carnivorous predators
It’s no secret that whales are both predators and carnivores. Their diets vary, with some species of whale eating squid, octopus, and other cephalopods, while others eat crustaceans; these include crabs, lobsters , shrimp, barnacles, krill, and other shelled creatures. When hunting for food, whales tend to prefer hunting alone, but sometimes hunt in groups.
7. Whale watching is a common recreational activity in some parts of the world
Did you know that whale watching is a popular activity in some parts of the world? If you’re unsure about what this is, it’s exactly like it sounds! Whale watching is simply the activity of getting in a boat and observing whales swimming in their natural habitat.
It is typically done in places like South Africa, in the Northeastern Atlantic region, the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand, Australia, and various other places as well.
8. The sperm whale has the largest brain out of all the creatures in the world
It seems as though various whale species are vying for the top spots in the sizing category in the animal kingdom! Aside from the blue whale being the largest creature in the world, the sperm whale is known for having the biggest brain in the world.
When we say biggest, we don’t mean in terms of intelligence, but rather, in terms of size. The average sperm whale brain weighs around 20 pounds, and depending on the sperm whale itself, can weigh anywhere from 7 to 9 kilograms.
Conclusion
In this article, we took a closer look at eight fun and really interesting facts about whales. When researching this article, it was difficult to decide which facts to add in and leave out, and we hope that you enjoyed reading about the ones we included.
Whales are hugely (pun unintended) fascinating creatures with a vast and interesting story. They play a crucial role in the ecosystem, and in 2024, remain an endangered species. We hope that you will go out and learn more about whales after reading this article as well!
