Whale Adaptations & Behaviors

Breathing in Whales All mammals have lungs Opening on top of head called blowhole (nose) Baleen whales = 2 nostrils Toothed whales = 1 nostril Use to breathe in and out Whales evolved from having nose on snout to top of head Can stay underwater while breathing

Swimming in Whales Powerful hind flippers called tail flukes Allows for up-and-down movement Dorsal fin present in almost all (except narwhal) Helps to swim straight Pectoral fins vary in size Use for swimming, braking, & balance Internal bones similar to other mammals Floating hipbones evidence of ancestral hind limbs

How Captivity Affects Killer Whales https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRGu5H69p3s

Imprisoned for Life: Marine Mammals in Captivity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzhLGfndYE

Movements in Whales Diving Lobtailing Produce wall of bubbles to confuse & entrap prey Swim up & engulf prey in feeding process called lunging Lobtailing Waves tail in air & smashes it against ocean surface Possibly sign of aggression or announcing presence

Movements in Whales (cont’d) Spyhopping Raises head & looks around Breaching Leaps out of water & crashes back down Dislodge skin parasites, communication, or playful behavior

Communication & Echolocation in Whales Well-developed brains w/ ability to communicate w/ others Dolphins produce clicks in airway & directed by fatty bump in forehead called the melon Natural form of sonar called echolocation Used to locate objects and even stun prey Breeding males primarily sing specific songs Sometimes stranding (beaching) observed Typically leads to death Possibly due to disease from infection or pollution impairing ability to echolocate

Why do Whales Beach Themselves? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTMcdgzFTNY

Exploding Sperm Whale Carcass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X0hq0ug9q4

“You’re a Beluga” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW9rG87qPdU

The Diving Response P1, 5

The Diving Response AKA diving reflex Shunting (detouring) of blood to vital organs (brain, heart, lungs, muscles) Cells can increase energy production by carrying out anaerobic respiration Ability to inhale/exhale quickly & nearly completely Higher blood volume & greater concentration of red blood cells Hemoglobin (RBC) & myoglobin (muscles) Bradycardia – ability to slow heart rate Water pressure causes reflex reaction of nervous system

Inside Nature’s Giants: Sperm Whale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-duFncZ65s