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Interesting Facts about Whales

[Whale Phylum: Chordata] [Class: Mammalia] [Order: Artiodactyla] [Infraorder: Cetacea]

Living in every ocean on Earth, whales rank among the largest and most remarkable of all animals. They are highly adapted, open-ocean mammals that fulfill an essential role in all oceanic ecosystems.

This section contains fun facts and information about the whale species, including where they are found, what they eat, and how these aquatic placental marine mammals reproduce.

Whale Habitat, Distribution, and Behaviours

There are about 130 types of marine mammals, and cetaceans (which includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises) comprise one of the four (4) taxonomic groups.

Scientists divide about ninety (90) different species of whales into two main categories, baleen whales and toothed whales, and they have fascinated humans for centuries.

The general distribution of whales is vast. They are found in all of the world's oceans, from the frigid polar seas to warm tropical waters.

Nonetheless, the species occupy different geographic ranges, mostly determined by their individualised feeding strategies, body sizes, and their tolerance for life in hot or cold water temperatures.

For example:

Some whales, such as the gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) and the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), undertake long seasonal migrations between high-latitude feeding grounds and low-latitude breeding areas.

Whereas, many of the deep-diving species, such as the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), usually remain in relatively stable regions all year long.

By and large, the coastal species inhabit continental shelves and nearshore waters. Yet, the oceanic species range widely across open seas, often traveling great distances.

Overall, the global distribution of whales is shaped by nutritious food sources, water temperatures, the prevailing ocean currents, and the availability of suitable breeding habitats.

Whale Characteristics and Traits

Even though they need to surface regularly to breathe air, whales are highly adapted sea mammals that will spend their entire lives in the ocean.

Many whale types are social animals, living in small family groups or in larger temporary aggregations, many will live alone.

They exhibit a wide range of behavioural patterns relating to their feeding habits, social interaction, communication capabilities, and their reproductive strategies.

In actual fact...

Communication is an essential part of whale behaviour. Many species produce complex vocalisations that are used in social bonding, during mating, and for general coordination.

Furthermore, some whales, mostly humpback whales, are known for long, structured songs that are able to travel enormous distances underwater.

Whales generally reproduce slowly, giving birth to a single calf after a long gestation period. This slow reproductive rate makes populations particularly sensitive to environmental change and human impacts.

Interesting Facts about Whales (cetaceans)What Do Whales Eat?

Baleen whales (often called whalebone whales) typically feed by filtering large quantities of small prey, such as:

Whereas, toothed whales (odontocetes) hunt individual prey, especially fish, octopus, and squid. They rely heavily on sound for hunting and for navigation.

Types of Whale Species

Beaked Whales (Ziphiidae)

The group of beaked whales includes around twenty four of the deepest, and longest diving, of all marine mammal species still in existence today.

It's reasonable to suggest that Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) is one of the most well known, partly because they have the widest global distribution and they are the most frequently observed of the family.

Physical Characteristics

Beaked whales are medium-sized toothed whales (odontocetes), typically measuring between four (4) and thirteen (13) metres long. In general, they have a distinct rostrum (elongated beak), a streamlined body, and relatively small dorsal fins.

Another distinguishing feature is the low tooth count. Most beaked whale species have only a single pair of functional teeth that are mostly used for intraspecific combat, rather than for feeding.

Distribution and Habitat

Ziphiidae have a global distribution, from ice cold polar to the warm waters of the tropics. They primarily inhabit deep offshore waters close to continental slopes, seamounts, and submarine canyons, with specific sightings occurring in the North Atlantic, Europe (e.g., Iceland, United Kingdom), and the South Atlantic Ocean.

Because beaked whales are deep-diving suction feeders, their typical diet will include deep-sea squids, as well as bathypelagic (1,000 - 4,000 metres deep) and mesopelagic fishes, such as hatchetfish and lanternfish.

Accurate facts about the social structure and behavioural traits of beaked whales are sketchy. But, they are usually found in small groups (between 2 and 10 individuals).

Moreover, they tend to avoid excessive surface activity - most likely to reduce the risks of predation from killer whales and to avoid vessel collisions.

Other major threats that affect beaked whales include, naval mid-frequency active sonar, the ingestion of plastic pollution, mass stranding events, and marine entanglement in deep-sea fishing gear.


Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)


Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)


Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus)


Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni complex)

These warm-water rorquals are found year-round in tropical and subtropical oceans. They are notable for their non-migratory habits and close association with productive coastal and offshore feeding areas.

This guide contains a collection of interesting facts about Bryde's whales (pronounced "broodus"), such as where they still exist today, what they eat, and how genus Balaenoptera reproduce.


Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)


Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)


Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)


Killer Whale (Orcinus orca)


Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra)


Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)


North Pacific Right Whale (Eubalaena japonica)


Pilot Whale (Globicephala)


Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps)


Right Whales (Eubalaena)


Rorquals (Balaenopteridae)


Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis)


Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

How Do Whales Reproduce?

Reproduction in shales occurs through sexual reproduction and, like all marine mammal species, instead of laying eggs they give birth to live young.

Mating typically takes place in warmer waters, and following a long gestation period (often a year or longer) the female gives birth to a single calf.

Here's the thing:

Newborn whale calves are nursed with rich milk, and they remain closely dependent on their mothers for months - and sometimes years.

But, because whales reproduce slowly and they invest heavily in each offspring, their populations are particularly vulnerable to environmental pressures and the effects of some human-related activities.

Whale Predators and Threats

In the wild, adult whales have very few natural predators due to their large size. However, some calves, smaller whale species, and those with injuries, are vulnerable to attacks by orcas (killer whales) and large sharks (albeit less common).

Today, human activity represents the greatest threat to the long term existence of whales. Some of the major threats include:

Even though international protections have helped some species recover, many whales remain at risk due to the combined effects of ongoing human pressures.

Conservation: According to a 2023 red-list status report issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, one in four whale, dolphin, and porpoise species is threatened with extinction, with river and coastal species in Asia being the most threatened.

Related Information and Help Guides

Note: The short video [2:19 minutes] presented by 'Deep Marine Scenes' contains even more whale facts with footage of the Bryde's whale (also known as Eden's whale).

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