One app for all your study abroad needs
Reading facts about whales helps students enhance their knowledge about marine animals. Whales are known for their songs, which are generally used for communication and prey detection. Moreover, they travel long distances across oceans for survival much like students try adjusting and adapting to new weather while studying abroad. Interestingly, whales have been known for interacting with humans by approaching their boats curiously. Did you know that whales also showcase incredible adaptations? Read this blog till the end to discover 100 interesting facts about whales for students in English.
Table of Contents
General Facts About Whales in the Ocean
1. The first and most important fact about whales is that there are about 90 identified species.
2. Whales can weigh over 150 tons and measure over 100 feet in some parts of the world.
3. The heaviest blue whale ever weighed was 418,878 pounds whereas the largest blue whale recorded measured up to 110 feet in length.
4. All whales are dolphins but not all dolphins are whales.
5. Whales have two blowholes whereas dolphins have only one.
6. Blue whales get their name from the colour of blue water seen around them as they rise to the surface for air.
7. There are two types of whales including the baleen whales and the toothed whales.
8. The next piece of information on this list of interesting facts about whales is that their baleen constituted keratin. It is extremely strong yet flexible.
9. Humpback whales can survive about 5-7 months on their fat reserves.
10. Wondering who the biggest blue whale is? The answer is the Antarctic Blue Whale. Interestingly, it is also the largest animal on the planet.
11. Orcas are also called killer whales. One interesting fact about whales is that Orcas are the largest members in the world of dolphins.
12. Many times researchers in the US have found male humpback whales singing songs. These songs were more common in breeding areas during the winter season.
13. Some species of whales are renowned as one of the longest-living mammals.
14. Gray whales make one of the longest annual migrations among mammals. They can travel up to 10,000 miles.
15. The minke whale is the smallest baleen whale in North America.
16. Sperm whales were once almost extinct due to commercial whalers. This is because they were killed for their rare oil and blubber.
Fun Facts About Whales
1. Berardius bairdii or Baird’s beaked whales is the largest member of the beaked whale family.
2. Humpback whales are considered to be the most acrobatic of all the larger whale species.
3. Sperm whales have the biggest brains of any animal on our planet.
4. The sperm whale’s brain weighs five times more than a human brain.
5. Only 1% of people have had the opportunity to see a blue whale.
6. Newborn blue whales measure about 23 feet and can consume up to 100-15 gallons of nutrient-dense milk every day.
7. Male narwhals have the largest teeth in the whale family. They have one canine tooth or tusk which sticks straight out at the front of their mouths and grows up to 3m long.
8. It is rare for female narwhals to grow a tusk or a male to grow two tusks.
9. The average lifespan of blue whales is 80-90 years in the wild.
10. The tongues of blue whales can weigh as much as an elephant whereas their hearts are the size of a car.
11. Some blue whales have a yellow-coloured underside, giving them the nickname ‘sulphur bottom’ whales.
12. Large whales such as the killer whale are called the apex predators, meaning they have no natural enemies.
13. Blue whales can be found in all oceans except the Arctic Ocean.
14. The sperm whale’s head is the largest of any animal, making up one-third of its body length.
15. The fin whale is also known as the razorback whale.
16. The fin whale can grow its dorsal fin up to 6 feet tall.
Interesting Facts About Whales
1. Do you know which whale species is the fastest in the ocean? The answer is sei whale. These whales can reach up to 30 miles per hour.
2. The Bowhead whale species might be the longest-living mammal on our planet.
3. There are about 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, together known as cetaceans.
4. Whales have blowholes, a unique type of nostril, on the top of their heads.
5. Whenever you see a whale exhaling through its blowhole, you will notice a spout of water and mist. It can even reach great heights of up to 30 feet.
6. The next information on this list of interesting facts about whales is that a valve refers to a muscular flap that covers a whale’s blowhole. It prevents water from entering the lungs when the animal is submerged in water.
7. Have you ever heard of a whale blubber? In simple words, it is a thick layer of fat that provides warmth in extreme cold temperatures.
8. Certain species such as killer whales have been known to make lifelong bonds with other members.
9. Some humpback whales work in groups to create interesting bubble nets. This helps trap and hunt smaller fish.
10. Researchers have also observed humpback whales singing a complex whale song that lasts for hours.
11. Orcas have been seen hunting in groups to kill large prey such as blue whales.
12. Studies show that whales may have highly developed emotional centres in their brains which may cause them to feel emotions such as joy and grief.
13. Whales have a unique brain structure. While one part of their brain sleeps, the other part stays awake to ensure that the whale is breathing.
14. Many people have seen humpback whales jumping out of the water and slapping their fins on the surface of the water.
15. Each pool of sperm whales may have its own dialect, passed from generation to generation for communication.
Amazing Facts About Whale
1. Male whales can sing for up to 20 minutes to attract female whales.
2. The song of humpback whales can be heard from miles away.
3. Some researchers believe that humpbacks may also sing to help each other recognise and stay together.
4. The song of blue whales can reach volumes of up to 188 decibels, surprisingly louder than a jet engine.
5. Sperm whales produce multiple clicks at once which are collectively called codas.
6. The beluga whale is known by other names such as the sea canary. The primary reason behind this nickname is their melodies. They can chirp or whistle to make sounds.
7. Whales are found everywhere.
8. Some whale species travel long distances to migrate from cold to warmer waters.
9. What do we call a group of whales? The correct one is a “pod”.
10. Whale groups or pods can be surprisingly small or exceptionally big.
11. Certain species such as the beluga whale can survive in freshwater and saltwater.
12. Narwhals use echolocation to find their prey.
13. Grey whales are bottom feeders and use a technique called skimming. They swim in the great depths of the ocean floor and keep their mouths open to find food.
14. In many cases, newborn whales are born tail first. But why? One explanation behind this natural phenomenon is that it protects their head and blowhole during the entire birth process.
15. Have you ever wondered what we call newborn whales? Calves is the term used to refer to them.
16. In some cases, whale calves have been observed to gain weight rapidly with as much as 200 pounds in just one day.
17. Depending on the whale species, the gestation period of whales ranges from 9 months to 18 months.
18. A baby whale is born with a special layer that provides protection against cold waters and harsh temperatures. It is commonly known as blubber.
Facts About Whale Characteristics
1. Whales are warm-blooded animals who breathe air.
2. They give live birth and suckle their young on milk.
3. Whales surface regularly to breathe emptying their lungs completely than most mammals. This leads to their famous explosive breath known as a blow.
4. Whale blows are visible to human eyes. This is because when a whale exhales a breath, the warm air present in this breath turns into water vapour. Next, this vapour condenses and makes the blow easily visible.
5. Blue whales tend to swim alone or in groups of 2-4 members.
6. Some whales blow bubbles around the prey to trap and kill them.
7. Killer Whales are highly social animals. They are known to travel in matrifocal groups.
8. Beluga whales use a system of complex communication including whistles, chirps, and clicks, giving them the nickname, “canaries of the sea”.
9. Sperm whales are known for making the loudest sounds on earth.
10. Whales can store oxygen molecules in their bodies, helping them hunt deep down in the ocean.
11. Whales can extend their bodies out of the water. This jumping is called breaching.
12. They must regulate their body temperature.
Facts About Whale Communication
1. Some whale species use lower-frequency sounds that allow their calls to travel longer distances.
2. If heard in close proximity, the sounds of sperm whales can reach up to 230 dB and blow out your eardrums or vibrate your body to death.
3. Toothed whales communicate with unique whistles and click sounds.
4. Baleen whales use moans, grunts, and groans to communicate.
5. Whale songs are long patterned sequences of sounds. They are complex to understand.
6. Male humpback whales can sing for up to 30 minutes.
7. Their songs can change during the winter mating season.
Facts About Whale Diet
1. Killer whales eat a wide range of marine species including fish, seabirds, turtles, and seals.
2. Blue whales can consume up to 3 tons of krill per day and excrete about 200 litres of faeces at one time.
3. Whale faeces are red. This is because they eat a lot of krill or zooplankton invertebrates which are also red in colour.
4. Whales do not chew their food. Their baleen plates act as a sieve to trap food inside the mouth and drain water.
5. Baleen whales eat small shrimp-like krill, fish, and copepods.
Facts About Whales Appearance
1. Baleen whales include humpbacks and blue whales. They have fibrous baleen plates instead of teeth to filter out and consume their food.
2. Toothed whales include orga, beluga, and sperm whales. They have teeth that help them prey on large hunts like squid and fish.
3. All toothed whales have a melon, a mass of tissue, in their foreheads. This helps focus whales’ calls for communication and echolocation.
4. Beluga whales have flexible necks, allowing them to move their heads freely.
5. Fin whales are characterised by asymmetrical colouring. Their lower jaw is white on one side and grey to dark charcoal on the other side. Inside their mouth, these whales have black baleen on the right side and cream-coloured on the left.
6. The length of baleen plates depends on the species of the whale.
7. Most whales and dolphins have 3-4 stomachs.
8. Baird’s beaked whales have 13 stomachs.
9. The blue whale holds the record for being the largest whale in the ocean. Can you guess how much it weighs? Well, it can be equal to the weight of 33 elephants.
10. The dwarf sperm whale is the smallest species. In a few cases, these whales have been reported to grow about 9 feet long.
11. Humpback whales have long flippers. In many cases, they have been observed to be as long as one-third of their entire body length, making it easier to manoeuvre in the water.
Interesting Reads
FAQs
5 interesting facts about whales include that all whales are dolphins but not all dolphins are whales, whales have 2 blowholes, Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family, the fin whale is also known as the razorback whale, and lastly, some humpback whales create bubble nets and trap smaller fish.
One interesting whale fact is that some whale species such as Baird’s whale have up to 13 stomachs.
One interesting fact about whales is that they share traits of mammals such as breathing air, giving live birth, suckling their young ones on milk, and having hair.
Hope you enjoy reading these interesting facts about whales. If you want to know more about topics like this, then visit our Interesting Facts and General Knowledge page!