Who do you imagine when you hear about whales? Someone will think of a huge blue giant, the most powerful marine animal. And someone will remember the killer whales because of the famous movie "Free Willy". But no matter what marine life you imagine, the question always arises: what does a whale breathe with? How can he stay under water for a long time? Let's try to answer these questions.
Appearance
Whales are huge mammals that are distributed all over the world. These giants live in all oceans, both warm and cold. A feature of their appearance is the grandiose size. So, the blue whale is the largest species of cetaceans. It can reach a length of more than 30 meters and weigh up to 150 tons. But there are also small species, the size of which does not exceed 2 meters.
It is interesting that the head of the whales is huge and reaches 1/3 of the length of the entire body. The neck is very short and not noticeable. This raises the question: how does the whale breathe, does it have nostrils like all mammals? It turns out there is. On the head, or rather on its uppermost part, there is a breathing hole. It must be said that toothed whales have only one nostril on their heads, while baleen whales have two. We all remember the illustrations where the whaledepicted with a fountain above his head. So this fountain is formed when a whale exhales moist air, and by the appearance of the fountain itself, you can recognize the type of cetaceans.
Another common indicator of cetaceans is the presence of powerful fins. Moreover, in different species they differ in size. It is this feature that gives them the ability to develop considerable speed and gives excellent maneuverability. Interestingly, humpback whales have the largest pectoral fins, similar to giant wings. And a blow from a blue whale's tail could easily sink a ship.
Building features
Another distinguishing feature is that the whale is a warm-blooded animal, unlike all other inhabitants of the world's oceans. This explains the fact that he can live in all seas, regardless of the ambient temperature. A huge fat layer, which in some whales reaches 1 meter, protects the animal from hypothermia. Interestingly, there is no fat in the tail, which explains why the whale does not overheat while in warm tropical waters.
Animal brains are also unique. Hearing is most developed in cetaceans. Everyone knows the fact that the songs of whales can be heard at a distance of tens of kilometers. They also have excellent echolocation, thanks to which the giants communicate perfectly, as well as hunt and move in the water column. Their eyesight is also well developed. With the help of a protective fluid produced by certain glands, the whale is able to see clearly underwater. All other senses are developedrather weak.
The respiratory system has its own characteristics: the whale's lungs are not connected with the larynx. Thus, when inhaling, water is not swallowed. The nasal openings, located on the top of the head, are directly connected to the lungs. But how does a whale breathe underwater? The answer is simple: like all mammals, it holds its breath underwater. Its nostrils close when immersed like valves. The brain instructs the entire body to turn on a kind of economical mode, as a result of which oxygen is supplied only to the heart and brain. This allows the whales to dive to depths of up to 2,000 meters.
Baleen whales
This order of cetaceans is the largest of all existing. It includes: blue whale, fin whale, sei whale, humpback whale, or humpback whale, gray and bowhead whales, as well as minke whales. All these animals have one structural feature - they do not have teeth, but instead of them there are horny plates called whalebones. It is from this feature that the squad got its name.
Baleen whales feed on small plankton or small fish that come their way. An interesting way of feeding these animals. The whale opens its huge mouth and swallows a trifle along with a huge amount of water. Then, with the help of a giant tongue, he pushes the water out like a piston, and the food that gets caught remains within the mouth without passing through the mustache. In this way, the whale absorbs up to 6 tons of plankton per day.
Toothed whales
As everyone knows, this unit has sharp teeth. Each species is differentsize and shape. This category includes sperm whales, killer whales and dolphins. They differ in taste preferences. Dolphins, for example, love to hunt for fish, while killer whales prefer seals and fur seals in their diet. Sperm whales, on the other hand, hunt squid and cuttlefish to a greater extent, while they dive to very great depths.
All toothed whales are excellent hunters. Often killer whales, which are also called killer whales, can attack large baleen whales. Their favorite delicacy is huge tongues, the rest of the whale is of little interest to them. Since baleen whales are mostly solitary animals, while toothed whales are gregarious, attacks often occur.
Birth of babies
Since the whale is a warm-blooded animal, the cubs are born fully formed, like all mammals. What does a whale breathe when it is born? The baby is born tail first and, thanks to a caring mother, takes its first breath immediately after birth. The female pushes him to the surface so that the respiratory system will work to the fullest, and the lungs will open, just like in humans.
It is also interesting that little whales eat milk. An adult has two mammary glands, but the kitten does not suck milk, like all mammals, but receives it by injection. Next to the nipple is a system of muscles that perform this function. In addition, milk is very fatty and thick, so the baby gains weight very much.fast - up to 100 kilograms per day. The mother and baby stay on the surface, as the cub cannot yet be under water for a long time. As the whale grows, it improves in swimming and diving.
Whale Songs
The way whales communicate is also unique. These creatures are capable of performing melodies. Often their singing is so harmonious and beautiful that it can calm and even lull a person. It should be noted that not all giants sing. Especially these abilities are possessed by humpback whales, which are even called singing. Why they make such sounds is still not known. These are supposedly marriage songs, but they may change from season to season.
The whale breathes with lungs. This is an amazing sea creature, which has many more mysteries that are incomprehensible to us. Until the middle of the 20th century, whales were simply killed for the needs of mankind, and today many of them are protected.
