How different are mammals? The Life of a Whale How different are mammals?

Interesting Vocabulary Mammal- an animal which is born alive and feeds on its mother’s milk. Cetaceans- The group which whales belong to that includes dolphins and porpoises. Warm Blooded- A term referring to mammals and birds whose blood ranges in temperatures from about 98° to 112°F (37° to 44°C) and remains constant no matter how cold or warm their surroundings.

Are whales mammals? Whales are mammals because they are born alive and they feed off their mother’s milk. They also breathe air and are warm-blooded, which means they keep the same temperature no matter how cold their surroundings. All mammals have hair- even if it is only a few bristles like the whales.

Misconceptions about mammals Whales are the only mammals in the sea. Fish and sharks are mammals. Only Cetaceans can be mammals. Whales don’t have belly buttons. Whales can’t have bad breath.

Facts about mammals! The truth is that there are other mammals in the sea. Other known mammals that live in the water are walruses, seals, and sea otters. Fish are not mammals because the hatch from eggs and they are mostly cold-blooded. This mean that their temperature adapts to the area in which they live. They also breathe through their gills. Sharks fall into the fish category as well. Cetaceans are the sea dwelling group of mammals that whales belong to which contains dolphins and porpoises. They have the shape of fish and live in the water but they are mammals. Walruses, seals, and sea otters are not Cetaceans they are. The also live in the water but are mammals and could never be confused for a fish.

Facts about mammals (cont’d…) Whales have belly buttons just like dogs and cats, you and me. The whale just like humans develops inside of the mother’s body. The unborn whale is connected to its mother by an umbilical cord. The cord snaps off after birth and in time will wither away. A belly button will be left on the whale’s underside. Some sailors say whales do have bad breath and that it smells fishy. They think it is because of its’ diet. Maybe one day you will go whale watching and you will find out for yourself.

Baby Whales A baby whale is called a calf. Usually only one calf is born at a time, however although it is rare sometimes twins are born. Female whales, known as cows, carry their unborn babies 9 to 18 months. Most cows give birth every 2 to 5 years. Most land mammals are usually born head first which is different then how calves are born which is tail first and in water. The calf rolls in the water like a barrel and the mother pushes it to the surface for its first breath of air. While feeding off of the mother the babies usually gain 200 pounds per day.

Do whales breath like other mammals? Whales breathe out of their nostrils like most humans do only their nostrils are called blowholes and they are on the top of their head. This adaptation allows whales to breathe while most of their body is underwater. Before taking a deep dive whales fill their lungs with air. It then holds its breathe underwater and before it comes back to get more air it blasts out the stale air, called the blow, at a speed of 300 miles an hour. Whale blows have different sizes and shapes, and some people can tell one whale from another just by the look of its blow.

Underwater Adventure A whale can stay underwater anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours. They do not have especially large lungs but they make great use out of what they do have. When humans breathe deeply we fill about one- fourth of our lungs with air. When whales breathe they fill up their entire lungs with air. After the whale runs out of air it must swim to the surface to blow and get more air or it will drown and die.

How do whales keep in touch? They squeal, whistle, moan, bark, and use other sounds. Experts can hear conversations between whales which communicate “ Here I am” to keep whales together, and “Keep Away” to warn of danger. Whales do not have vocal cords, rather they squeeze pouches of air near its blowhole. Although whales have amazing hearing their ears are tiny and impossible to see. They can pick up underwater sounds from 1000 miles away.

How do whales swim? Whales have two big, flat back fins, called flukes. They push up and down so the whale can move forward in the water. Their flippers help them turn, dive, and roll. Most whales swim at a rate of 3 to 5 miles an hour. The fastest ones can cruise at 35 miles an hour.

Where do whales live? Whales live in every ocean of the world. Most stay either in very cold waters by the north and south pole or in tropical seas. Most whales only migrate for food which occurs in the spring and in the fall and may cover thousands of miles. Some whales travel alone while others travel in groups called pods.

Dolphins and Porpoises Percentage of Dolphins versuses whales seen in the Santa Barbara channel from 1996-2001 Dolphins and Porpoises Whales 96% 4% 99% 1% 97% 3% 100% 0%

Helpful Links to learn more about whales Fun Facts about whales Tracking whales mammals and their sounds