Whale Facts

Which is the biggest whale?
The blue whale is the largest whale, and also the largest mammal that has ever lived. It measures more than 30 metres (100 feet) long. It weighs at least 90 tonnes and the biggest blue whales may weigh more than twice this amount. Although it is so huge, the blue whale is not a fierce hunter. It eats tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill. It may gobble up as many as four million of these in a day.

How big is a baby blue whale?
A baby blue whale is about 7 metres (23 feet) long at birth, and is the biggest baby in the animal kingdom. It weighs about 8 tonnes – that is more than a fully grown elephant.

Which whale dives deepest?
The sperm whale dives to at least 1,000 metres (3,000 ft) below the surface of the sea and may go down to even greater depths when chasing giant squid to eat.

Do whales ever come to land?
No, whales spend their whole lives in the sea. But they do breathe air and have to come to the surface regularly to take breaths.

What is a porpoise?
A porpoise is a small whale with a rounded head, not a beaked snout like a dolphin. There are about six species of porpoise, which live in coastal waters in the Atlantic and Pacific. They feed on fish and squid.

Is a dolphin a kind of whale?
A dolphin is a small whale. Most of the 37 or so species of dolphin live in the sea, but there are five that live in rivers. The biggest dolphin is usually known as the killer whale, or orca, and grows up to 9.4 metres (31 ft) long. Dolphins have a streamlined shape and a beaked snout containing lots of sharp teeth. They are fast swimmers and they catch sea creatures such as fish and squid to eat. A form of ultrasound helps dolphins find their prey. A dolphin gives off a series of high-frequency clicking sounds that bounce of anything in their path. The echoes tell the dolphin about the size and direction of the prey.

Do humpback whales really sing?
Yes, they do. They make a series of sounds, including high whistles and low rumbles, that may continue for hours. No one knows exactly why the humpback whale sings, but it may be to court a mate or to keep in touch with others in the group.

Why do some whales migrate?
Whales such as humpbacks migrate – travel from place to place – to find the best conditions for feeding and breeding. They spend much of the year feeding in the waters of the Arctic and Antarctic, where there is lots of krill to eat. When it is time to give birth, the humpbacks travel to warmer waters near the equator.

Do whales give birth in the water?
Yes, they do. The baby whale comes out of the mother’s body tail first so that it does not drown during birth. As soon as the head emerges, the mother and the other females attending the birth help the baby whale swim to the surface to take its first breath.

What is a narwhale?
A narwhale is a whale with a single long tusk at the front of its head. The tusk is actually a tooth, which grows out from the upper jaw. It can be as much as 2.7 metres (9 ft) long. Only male narwhales have tusks and they may use them in battles with other males.

How fast do whales swim?
Blue whales normally swim at about 8 kph (5 mph) but can move at speeds of up to 30 kph (18 mph) when disturbed. Some small whales, such as pilot whales and dolphins, may swim at more than 50 kph (30 mph).

How does a blue whale feed?
A blue whale filters small shrimp-like creatures called krill from the water. Hanging from the whale’s upper jaw are lots of plates of a fringed bristly material called baleen. The whale opens its mouth and water, and krill, flows in. The whale forces the water through the baleen with its tongue. The water flows out at the sides of the mouth, leaving the krill behind on the baleen for the whale to swallow.