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Our Aquatic Giants: The Anatomy of a Whale
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As our largest marine mammals, whales are one of the most fascinating animals on earth. They are also among the most studied, and research on the world's whale species is now assisting scientists for more information about things like global warming, marine wildlife migration patterns, oceanography and even atmospheric science.
But it's not only scientists that are enamoured with one of these aquatic giants. Whale watching holidays to places as diverse as Sri Lanka, Norway and the Azores are popular with nature lovers looking for a close encounter, while wildlife documentaries like Sir David Attenborough's stunning Blue Planet 2 bring the wonders of ocean's cetacean species to vivid life in the comfort of our very own homes.

Teeth and Baleen

You can find two suborders of whales: toothed and baleen. The baleen species are generally larger than their toothed counterparts, and instead of teeth they will have multiple plates hanging from their upper jaw, comprising a flexible apparatus called baleen. Baleen allows the pet to filter feed, that they do by firmly taking in vast levels of water through their mouths then expelling it. Plankton along with other small organisms are trapped behind the baleen and ingested.

The toothed species are predatory and, while they use their teeth to capture and kill their prey (which includes sea lions, seal, fish and, sometimes, other whales), they swallow it whole.

Blowholes

As the structure of a whale is similar to a fish plus they spend around 90% of their own time underwater, because they're mammals they require oxygen to survive. They use their blowholes to take air to their lungs and, unlike fish and other marine animals that have gills to extract oxygen from the water, they need to come to the top of water to breathe. Baleen species have two blowholes located next to one another, while toothed species have just one.

Fins, Flukes and Flippers

Fins, flukes (the tail) and flippers all serve another purpose. The dorsal fin is used for stabilisation, the flippers are accustomed to navigate and perform acrobatic displays, and the fluke is used to propel them through the water. Not all species have a dorsal fin, but also for those that do there is a huge variation in size and shape. The flippers also vary in proportions between the species and are vital in controlling how deep they dive.

Eyes and Ears

The eyes and ears are uniquely adapted to life beneath the surface of the ocean. The eyes are very small and, while relied on lessthan other senses, they're certainly with the capacity of sight, with a depth of vision around about 35 feet. They have glands that secrete an oil to flush away salt and ocean debris.

website are one of their most important senses and are vital to communication. They vary slightly between the baleen and toothed species, with the former's including a waxy plug to protect the ear canal but additionally reducing aural capacity. Toothed species don't have the plug and their ear bones are encased in foam around the skull, which affords improved hearing to aid in hunting.

Blubber

As warm-blooded mammals, all species have a thick, insulating layer of blubber beneath their top layer of skin. Not only does the blubber maintain their body heat and protect their organs from the extreme cold of these oceanic habitat, in addition, it acts as a defence against predators.

Come In person with Nature

Responsible, well-organised whale watching holidays are the best way to come face to face with these majestic marine creatures. Led by experienced naturalists, the very best whale watching holidays take participants to wildlife hotspots in a few of the very most cetacean-rich oceans on the planet.

Author Plate

Marissa Ellis-Snow is really a freelance nature writer with a particular interest in whale watching. As a separate lover ofmarine wildlife, Marissa chooses the expert-led whale watching holidaysorganised by Naturetrek, which have brought her unforgettable sightings of an array of wildlife in some of the very most spectacular regions on the planet.

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