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As whales reach the water surface to breathe, they forcefully expel air through the blowhole. The exhalation is released into the comparably lower-pressure, colder atmosphere, and any water vapor condenses. This spout, known as the blow, is often visible from far away as a white splash, which can also be caused by water resting on top of the ...
About 240 pilot whales beached themselves in the northwest of Chatham Island, just 3 days before 240 whales beached themselves at nearby Pitt Island. [43] Chatham Island, New Zealand: 230 195 35 2022 About 230 pilot whales beached themselves on the west coast of Tasmania, exactly two years to the day of another mass stranding in the same area. [44]
Unlike other cetaceans, the belugas seasonally shed their skin. [44] During the winter, the epidermis thickens and the skin can become yellowish, mainly on the back and fins. When they migrate to the estuaries during the summer, they rub themselves on the gravel of the riverbeds to remove the cutaneous covering.
Breathing involves expelling stale air from the blowhole, forming an upward, steamy spout, followed by inhaling fresh air into the lungs; a humpback whale's lungs can hold about 5,000 litres (1,300 US gal) of air. Spout shapes differ among species, which facilitates identification. [38] [39] All whales have a thick layer of blubber. In species ...
Sperm whales have the largest brain mass of any animal on Earth, averaging 8,000 cm 3 (490 in 3) and 7.8 kg (17 lb) in mature males. [24] The brain to body mass ratio in some odontocetes, such as belugas and narwhals, is second only to humans. [25] In some whales, however, it is less than half that of humans: 0.9% versus 2.1%. [citation needed]
Researchers studying the majestic creatures have discovered the animals aren't just jumping for fun -- it's an important way to communicate.
Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. Almost all have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep warm in the cold water, with the exception of river dolphins. Toothed whales consist of some of the most widespread mammals, but some, as with the vaquita, are restricted to certain areas.
Humpback whale breach sequence. A breach or a lunge is a leap out of the water, also known as cresting. The distinction between the two is fairly arbitrary: cetacean researcher Hal Whitehead defines a breach as any leap in which at least 40% of the animal's body clears the water, and a lunge as a leap with less than 40% clearance. [2]