Who do you think of when you hear about whales? Someone will think of a huge blue giant, the most powerful sea animal. And someone will remember killer whales because of the famous film “Free Willy.” But no matter what kind of sea inhabitant you imagine, the question always arises: what does a whale breathe? How can he stay underwater for a long time? Let's try to answer these questions.
Appearance
Whales are huge mammals that are distributed throughout the world. These giants live in all oceans, both warm and cold. A feature of their appearance is their enormous size. Thus, it is the largest. 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 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: what does a 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 illustrations where a whale is depicted with a fountain above its head. So this fountain is formed when a whale exhales moist air, and by the appearance of the fountain itself you can recognize the species of cetacean.
Another common indicator of cetaceans is the presence of powerful fins. Moreover, they differ in size among different species. It is this feature that gives them the opportunity to develop considerable speed and gives excellent maneuverability. Interestingly, humpback whales have the largest pectoral fins, which look like giant wings. And a blow from a blue whale's tail can easily sink a ship.
Structural features
Another distinctive feature is that the whale is a warm-blooded animal, unlike all other inhabitants of the world's oceans. This explains that it can live in all seas, regardless of the ambient temperature. A huge fat layer, which reaches 1 meter in some whales, 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.
The brain of animals is 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 vision is also well developed. With the help of a protective fluid produced by certain glands, the whale is able to see clearly under water. All other senses are rather poorly developed.
The system has its own characteristics: the whale’s lungs are not connected to the larynx. Thus, water is not swallowed when inhaling. The nasal openings, located on the top of the head, are connected directly to the lungs. But what does a whale breathe underwater? The answer is simple: like all mammals, it holds its breath under water. Its nostrils close like valves when diving. The brain commands the entire body to engage in a kind of economy mode, resulting in oxygen flowing only to the heart and brain. This allows whales to dive to depths of up to 2000 meters.
Baleen whales
This order of cetaceans is the largest of all existing ones. These include: fin whale, sei whale, humpback whale, and minke whale. All these animals have one structural feature - they do not have teeth, but instead they have horny plates, which are called whalebones. It is from this feature that the detachment got its name.
They feed on small plankton or fish that come across their path. The way these animals feed is interesting. The whale opens its huge mouth and swallows the change along with a huge amount water. Then, with the help of a giant tongue, it pushes the water out like a piston, and the food that comes in remains within the mouth, without passing through the whiskers. In this way, the whale absorbs up to 6 tons of plankton per day.
Toothed whales
As everyone knows, this squad has sharp teeth. Everyone has it a separate type they differ in size and shape. This category includes sperm whales, killer whales and dolphins. They differ in taste preferences. Dolphins, for example, love to hunt for fish, and killer whales prefer seals and fur seals in their diet. Sperm whales are to a greater extent They hunt squid and cuttlefish, and they dive to very great depths.
All toothed whales are excellent hunters. Often killer whales, 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 calves 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 works fully and the lungs open, just like a human’s.
It is also interesting that small whales feed on milk. An adult has two mammary glands, but the baby whale does not suck milk, like all mammals, but receives it by injection. Next to the nipple there is a system of muscles that perform this function. In addition, the milk is very fatty and thick, so the baby gains weight very quickly - up to 100 kilograms per day. The mother and baby stay on the surface, since the baby cannot yet stay under water for a long time. As the baby 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 put a person to sleep. It should be noted that not all giants sing. Humpback whales, which are even called singing whales, especially have these abilities. Why they make such sounds is still not known. These are presumably mating songs, but may vary from season to season.
Keith breathes with his lungs. This is an amazing sea creature that still has many mysteries that are incomprehensible to us. Until the mid-20th century, whales were simply destroyed for the needs of humanity, and today many of them are protected.
Cetaceans (lat. Cetacea) are an order of mammals fully adapted to life in water. Cetaceans, together with artiodactyls, are sometimes classified as a non-systematic group of cetaceans. In everyday life, all cetaceans are called whales, except dolphins and porpoises. Cetaceans are the largest known animals that have ever lived on Earth.
The scientific name cētus and the Russian whale come from the Greek κῆτος “sea monster”.
About 30 species of cetaceans are found in Russian waters.
Appearance
Cetaceans have a fusiform, streamlined body, smooth skin, and virtually no hair. A thick layer of fat protects against hypothermia. The forelimbs are transformed into flippers, the hind limbs are atrophied. The tail ends in a large horizontal fin.
Origin
Whales presumably descended from artiodactyl terrestrial mammals, which switched to a semi-aquatic lifestyle about 50 million years ago.
There are different theories about the origin of whales. Whales, dolphins and porpoises were thought to have descended from a group of land mammals called Mesonychia. These creatures looked like wolves, but had hooves like cows and deer. They lived approximately 60 million years ago around the ancient Tethys Sea, in what is now the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Asian subcontinent.
Mesonychia probably hunted fish and other aquatic animals in coastal swamps and estuaries. As they spent more and more time in the water, their bodies began to change. They became more streamlined and developed powerful, flattened tails. Their forelimbs gradually turned into fins, and their hind limbs degraded. A thick layer of subcutaneous fat appeared, and the hair began to disappear. To facilitate breathing from the surface of the water, their nostrils moved to the top of their heads and gradually turned into blowholes.
New molecular genetic data indicate that cetaceans are close relatives of artiodactyls, in particular hippopotamuses. Based on these data, it is even proposed to include cetaceans in the order Artiodactyla and the name Cetartiodactyla is proposed for a monophyletic taxon that includes these two groups.
Recent studies have shown that the connecting link was the genus Indohyus, which lived in Pakistan and looked like modern deer. During the Eocene, the ancestors of whales gradually adapted to life at sea, filling the ecological niche that was vacated after the extinction of mosasaurs and plesiosaurs. Over time, they lost all connection with land and acquired new adaptive characteristics, losing features characteristic of terrestrial mammals.
Classification
Three suborders of cetaceans separated from common ancestors, uniting 127 extinct and 38 living genera: ancient whales (archaeocetes), baleen (or toothless) whales (mystacocetes) and toothed whales (odonocetes). The modern two suborders differ sharply from each other both in external and internal structure, and in biology. Toothless whales have instead of teeth a series of horny plates that hang from the upper jaw, called "baleen", with which they filter sea plankton from the water.
general description
The order includes highly specialized mammals that have adapted to permanent life in water. Externally, cetaceans resemble fish, but differ from the latter in the presence of warm-bloodedness, pulmonary breathing, the presence of remnants of hair, intrauterine development of the fetus and milk feeding of the young, and other characteristics that unite them with other mammals.
Cetaceans are the largest in size among mammals: the average body length of a blue whale is 25 m, weight - 90-120 tons. The smallest cetaceans are the white-bellied dolphin and Hector's dolphin, belonging to the genus of motley dolphins (Cephalorhynchus): their body length does not exceed 120 cm, weight - 45 kg.
Tail blades of a humpback whale
The least water resistance when swimming for cetaceans is provided by a streamlined torpedo- or teardrop-shaped body. This is also facilitated by the disappearance of hair and ears. The skin of cetaceans is characterized by great elasticity, elasticity and non-wetting, which reduces friction during fast swimming.
The head is usually massive; ends bluntly, pointed or elongated into a “beak” (rostrum). The head, almost without a visible cervical interception, passes into the body, which gradually narrows into the caudal peduncle.
The forelimbs have turned into flat and rigid pectoral fins (fins), which serve mainly as “rudders” and also provide turning and braking. The carpal parts of the flippers are not externally dissected, and sometimes fused internally.
The free hind limbs have atrophied, although rudiments of pelvic bones are found in some species.
The caudal part of the body is laterally flattened; it is very flexible and muscular and serves as the main locomotor organ. At its end there are paired, horizontal tail blades.
In addition, most species have an unpaired dorsal fin on their back, which serves as a kind of stabilizer when swimming.
The tail and dorsal fin are skin formations and lack a skeleton; inside them there is cartilage tissue.
The pectoral, dorsal and especially caudal fins have variable elasticity, which is provided by special blood vessels. The elasticity of the fins depends on the speed of swimming. In addition to the locomotor function, the fins perform a thermoregulatory function: excess heat escapes through them first.
Cetaceans do not have cutaneous glands; the exception is the 2 mammary glands, which are located in the posterior half of the body. Nipples (2) are placed in longitudinal skin pockets on the sides of the urogenital fissure and protrude outward only in nursing females. Under the skin there is a layer of adipose tissue (blubum) with a thickness of 2.5 to 30 cm.
Subcutaneous fat protects the body from hypothermia and helps retain water in the body that would otherwise diffuse into the body. environment, and also serves as an energy reserve during hunger strikes. Due to good insulation by the fat layer, body temperature ranges from 35 to 40 °C.
There is no hair. Baleen whales have individual bristle-like hairs growing on their faces, similar to the vibrissae of land mammals; they serve as an organ of touch. In toothed whales, only the Gangetic dolphin and the Amazonian inia, which live in turbid river water, have vibrissae in the adult state; Most other toothed whales have vibrissae only in embryos.
The coloring of cetaceans can be monochromatic, anti-shadow (dark above and light below) or spotted. In some species it is subject to age-related variability.
Skeleton
The skeleton of cetaceans is spongy. The spine has from 41 to 98 vertebrae, forming 4 sections: a greatly shortened cervical (always of 7 vertebrae, the total length of which does not exceed 15 cm), thoracic, lumbar and caudal. The thoracic region bears 10-17 pairs of ribs, of which only the first 2-8 pairs are articulated with the sternum.
Intervertebral discs give the spine, especially its caudal part, greater flexibility and mobility. The hind limbs and sacral spine are usually lost, and the pelvic bones are vestigial and not connected to the spine. The pectoral fin is supported by a very short humerus, two forearm bones, and numerous hand bones, sometimes fused into a blade-like structure.
Skeleton of a baleen whale (rudiments of the pelvic bones are visible)
The skull of whales is adapted to a specific way of breathing - the nostrils are shifted to the crown. The nasal bones are reduced; the parietals are shifted laterally so that the superoccipital bone is in contact with the frontal bones. The jaw bones are elongated due to an increase in the number of teeth or the development of a grinding apparatus.
All whales have teeth in an embryonic state, but in baleen whales they atrophy without erupting and are replaced by fringed horny plates of the so-called. whalebone. Toothed whales have conical, uniform teeth, undifferentiated into incisors, canines and molars. The largest number is observed in the delphin Stenella longirostris: from 172 to 252 teeth. The narwhal has the fewest teeth: 2 teeth in the upper jaw, and in females they usually do not erupt, and in the male the left tooth is turned into a long tusk.
Digestive organs
The tongue is well developed, soft lips are absent. There are no salivary glands or they are rudimentary. Cetaceans swallow prey whole without chewing. The stomach is complex, multi-chambered; capable of stretching and holding up to 1.5 tons of food (blue whale). The first, glandular, section of the stomach is the lower protrusion of the esophagus and serves for maceration and mechanical processing of food; absent in beaked whales.
The cardiac section is abundantly supplied with glandular cells that secrete digestive juices; it is folded, highly extensible, sometimes bi- or tripartite. The pyloric region represents the expanded anterior part of the duodenum. The length of the intestine exceeds the length of the body: from 4-5 times (in the Gangetic dolphin and bottlenose dolphins) to 15-16 times (sperm whale) and even up to 32 times (La Plata dolphin).
Respiratory and circulatory organs
There are 2 external nostrils in baleen whales and 1 in toothed whales. They are located on the top of the head and are equipped with special valves that reflexively close the airways when diving and unlock them when emerging. Due to the special structure of the larynx, the air passage is separated from the esophagus, which allows the whale to breathe safely, even if there is water in the oral cavity. The nasal canal in most species is connected to special air sacs that act as a sound-signaling organ.
The trachea and bronchi are shortened, which helps to speed up the act of breathing. The lungs are monolobed with highly developed smooth muscles, which allow one exhalation-inhalation to renew air by 80-90% (in humans, normally, without physical stress, only 15%). The number of alveoli is greater and their size is larger than that of terrestrial mammals.
Cetaceans are able to stay under water from 2-10 to 30-40 minutes (sperm whale - up to 1.5 hours). The duration of the dive is ensured by a large lung capacity and an increased content of myoglobin in the muscles. The oxygen capacity of the blood is increased due to the high content of hemoglobin and an increase in its concentration in red blood cells.
The breathing process of cetaceans can be divided into exhalation after a long dive, intermediate acts of breathing and a deep breath before the next dive. When a whale rises to the surface, the forcefully exhaled air, in contact with the colder outside air, forms a column of condensed steam (fountain).
In different species of cetaceans, the fountain varies in shape and height. In large whales, the exhaled air is pushed through the blowhole with such force that it produces a loud trumpeting sound, audible from a great distance in calm weather. During intermediate inhalations and exhalations, the whale dives shallowly, swims almost in a straight line, breathing at regular intervals. The number of intermediate acts of respiration increases the longer the whale remains under water during the main dive.
During a dive, the pulse of cetaceans slows down by more than 2 times, and the blood flow is redistributed so that the brain and heart muscle are primarily supplied with oxygen. Tissues less sensitive to oxygen starvation (especially the muscles of the body) switch to a “starvation ration.” The weak sensitivity of the respiratory center of the brain to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood allows cetaceans to significantly lengthen the respiratory pause.
Sense organs
The brain mass of cetaceans is the largest among mammals in absolute numbers, reaching 7.8-9.2 kg in the sperm whale, but relative to body weight it is small. Thus, in the blue whale it makes up only 0.007% of the total mass. The brain is highly differentiated, the sensory organs are developed, although not equally.
Cetaceans have almost lost their sense of smell. The olfactory lobes of the brain and olfactory nerves are completely absent (toothed whales) or are present in a rudimentary state (baleen whales). The taste is apparently rather poorly developed; It is assumed that whales are able to taste the salinity of water and detect their relatives by urine and feces.
The sense of touch is excellently developed; the skin is richly innervated. Baleen whales have sparse tactile hairs on their heads, which act as vibrissae and play a certain role in searching for massive accumulations of plankton. Toothed whales, which feed on single and relatively large prey, do not need vibrissae; The exception is river dolphins, which live in turbid waters.
The eyes are located on the sides of the head and are relatively small: in large whales the eye has a mass of about 1 kg, in small dolphins the size of a dog's eye. The eyelids are undeveloped. The cornea and sclera are thick and dense. The eyeball is almost spherical, somewhat flattened in front. The lens has a round shape. Vision in many species is monocular, without a general field of vision. Cetaceans are generally myopic, with the exception of dolphins. The lacrimal glands are reduced; There is no nasolacrimal passage. The fatty secretion of the Harderian gland protects the eyes from the mechanical and chemical effects of water. There are conjunctival glands not known in other mammals.
The hearing organs are greatly modified. The auricle is missing. The auditory canal is narrowed and opens behind the eye with a small opening; Apparently, it serves as a separate sensory organ that perceives changes in pressure. The eardrum is curved outward (baleen whales) or inward (toothed whales). Cetaceans perceive sound through the bones of the skull and lower jaw, the posterior end of which is close to the area of the inner ear and innervated by a branch of the trigeminal nerve.
The structure of the inner ear in cetaceans is very complex, with an enlarged cochlea. Sound is the most important source of information for aquatic organisms, since sound vibrations travel 5 times faster in water than in air. Cetaceans are able to detect sound waves in the range from 150 Hz to ultrasonic vibrations at 120-140 kHz. The hearing of toothed whales is most acute; in baleen whales it is worse compared to land mammals.
Whale songs
The characteristic V-shaped fountain of the southern right whale Eubalaena glacialis
Cetaceans produce sound signals in the same frequencies that they perceive themselves. Since they do not have vocal cords, sounds are produced by vibration of the “sound lips” (toothed whales) or by the larynx and pharynx (baleen whales).
The communication sounds produced by cetaceans are many and varied; there are special signals of feeding, anxiety, fear, mating, pain, etc. Some cetaceans from the suborder Odontoceti, like bats, are capable of directional echolocation. They have developed a special echolocation apparatus, consisting of a fat pad and a concave front surface of the skull, which act as a sound lens and reflector, concentrating the emitted ultrasonic signals and directing them to an object in the form of a sound beam.
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is expressed mainly in the difference in size of males and females. Female baleen whales are larger than males; females of most toothed whales, on the contrary, are smaller.
Adaptation to the environment
The peculiarities of the respiratory and circulatory systems allow cetaceans to stay under water for a long time with one supply of air (sperm whales up to 1.5 hours). The ability of hemoglobin to bind oxygen in whales is higher than in terrestrial mammals; a significant part of the oxygen accumulates in muscle hemoglobin. When diving, the pulse slows down sharply and the supply of oxygen to organs that are less sensitive to oxygen starvation is limited.
Lifestyle
Cetaceans are widespread in all oceans and some seas. There are cold-loving species living in polar and subpolar waters (beluga whales, narwhals, bowhead whales), heat-loving species (Bryde's minke), tropical and subtropical (many dolphins, pygmy sperm whales) and species with a wide range, including cosmopolitan ones (minke whales, sperm whales, killer whales) . They are found both near the coasts and in the open sea. Representatives of some species are able to climb up rivers or live permanently in rivers and estuaries.
Most species are herd animals; keep in groups from several to hundreds and thousands of heads. Nutrition is usually specialized; among whales there are planktivores, teutophages, ichthyophages and saprophages.
Killer whales are the only cetaceans that regularly eat not only fish and invertebrates, but also warm-blooded animals (birds, seals, and other whales). Some species swim very fast (orcas, many dolphins), others are relatively slow.
Most whales stay in surface waters; some can dive to considerable depths (sperm whale). As a result of adaptation to seasonal feeding and reproduction conditions, cetaceans formed several biological groups.
Some species are characterized by strictly regular seasonal migrations within the northern or southern hemisphere: in the winter they swim to low latitudes to give birth, and in the summer to moderate and high latitudes to feed fat (almost all baleen whales, some beaked whales and sperm whales).
The longest migrations of any mammal are made by gray whales, which swim up to 12,000 km a year, moving from wintering grounds off the coast of California to summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea and back. Others also migrate over significant distances, but less regularly and with irregular seasonal timing (lesser killer whales, pilot whales, sei whales, narwhals).
Still others have switched to a relatively sedentary lifestyle, migrating within a small water area (bottlenose dolphins, river dolphins, gray dolphins, etc.). Cetaceans migrate within familiar areas, following certain paths.
Reproduction
Mostly monogamous. Most species reproduce once every 2 years, only some dolphins reproduce annually, mating soon after giving birth. Mating periods and puppies are usually extended over time. Males are capable of fertilization all the time or most of the year. Pregnancy in different species lasts from 7 to 18 months.
Migratory species give birth mainly in warm waters in winter; non-migratory - in summer. Multiple pregnancy is characteristic: in females at the beginning of pregnancy, there may be 2-3 embryos in the uterus, of which soon only one remains. Twins are rare.
Childbirth takes place underwater; the fruit comes out tail first. The cub is well developed, large - up to 1/2-1/4 the length of the mother's body; immediately capable of independent movement. He performs the first act of breathing, as an unconditioned reflex, at the moment of the first emergence to the surface. From day one, the calf swims side by side with its mother, using the pressure of the hydrodynamic field around her, which allows it to swim passively. Females have a highly developed maternal instinct.
Feeding takes place underwater; milk is consumed within a few seconds, but very often. The cub tightly grasps the nipple, and milk is sprayed into its oral cavity by contraction of the female’s special muscles. Whale milk is very nutritious; it is thick, usually cream-colored, with a fat content of up to 54%. It is characteristic that its surface tension is 30 times greater than that of water, so the stream of milk does not spread in water. Female whales produce from 200-1200 g (dolphins) to 90-150 l (fin whale) and 200 l (blue whale) of milk per day. During feeding, the cub grows very quickly, by the end of feeding it increases by 1/3-1/2 of its original size. Feeding lasts from 4 months (small dolphins) to 13 (sperm whales), and in captivity even up to 21-23 months (bottlenose dolphins).
Puberty occurs at 3-6 years, but slow body growth continues even after that, up to 12 years. Physical maturity occurs when the skeleton finally ossifies and all the epiphyses of the spine fuse with the vertebral bodies. The process of ossification of the spine begins at both ends of the spine, with the tail proceeding faster than the head, and ends in the thoracic region. Sequential changes in the spine are sometimes used to determine the age of a whale.
Number and significance for humans
Whaling
In the recent past, the practical importance of cetaceans for humans was quite great. Almost all whale organs were used to produce food and technical products. Fat was boiled from subcutaneous fat and bones, which was then processed into lard and margarine, lubricants, technical and distilled glycerin, soap, theatrical makeup, washing powder etc.
Polymerized fat was used to make linoleum and printing ink. Sperm whale spermaceti served as a raw material for the production of cosmetic creams and lipsticks, as well as lubricants. The boiled bones, entrails and parts of the muscles were processed into fertilizer (fat) and feed meal for livestock and poultry.
Gelatin and glue were obtained from the protein part of whale oil. Before the development of plastic production, whalebone was used to make springs for sofas and mattresses, corsets, brushes, fans, etc. Sperm whale teeth were used for carvings. Canned, salted or fresh meat was used as food product. Vitamin A was extracted from whale liver; Medicines (Campolon, insulin, etc.) were made from the endocrine glands (pancreas and goiter). Ambergris, extracted from the intestines of sperm whales, is highly valued in the perfume industry as a perfume fixative.
Excessively intensive fishing has had a detrimental effect on the number of cetaceans, bringing many representatives of this order to the brink of extinction. Many cetaceans are listed in the International Red Book. Currently, commercial whaling is prohibited by the International Whaling Commission moratorium and the laws of most countries and is carried out to a limited extent only by Norway, Iceland and Japan, as well as by some indigenous peoples as one of the traditional occupations.
Whales are very peculiar mammals, which, due to their constant life in water, are more like fish. This group of animals has a characteristic appearance and at the same time has achieved significant diversity. Whales form a separate order of Cetaceans, but this term is a collective one. Usually this word refers to large species; small cetaceans have other names (dolphins, porpoises).
Humpback whale, or humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).
The most striking distinguishing feature of these animals is their size. Indeed, all species of whales are simply giants of the animal world. Even the smallest species (dwarf sperm whales, for example) reach a length of 2-3 m and a weight of 400 kg, and most species have a length of 5-12 m and a weight of several tons. The largest species, the blue whale, reaches a length of 33 m and weighs 150 tons! It is several times larger than even the largest dinosaurs. The blue whale is the largest living creature ever to inhabit our planet!
All species of whales are characterized by an elongated, streamlined body, a very short, inactive neck and a large head. The size of the head can vary greatly between species: in small whales it is 1/5 of the body length, in large baleen whales its size can reach 1/4, and in the sperm whale the head makes up 1/3 of the body. Based on the structure of their teeth, whales are divided into two suborders: baleen and toothed. Baleen whales have no teeth at all; they are replaced by giant horny plates that hang in the mouth like a fringe. They are called whalebone.
Baleen in the mouth of a whale.
Toothed whales have teeth, their shape and size vary between species. The structure of the jaws can also be different: in baleen whales the lower jaw is much larger than the upper and is similar to a ladle; in toothed whales, on the contrary, the upper jaw is larger or equal in size to the lower one. Such differences are associated with the nature of the diet of these animals.
The difference in size of the upper and lower jaws is clearly visible on the head of a humpback whale.
The brain size of whales is relatively large, but this is primarily due to the development of the parts of the brain responsible for hearing. Whales, like dolphins, have perfect echolocation abilities; they emit sounds of various frequencies and use their reflection (echo) to navigate in space, find food and communicate with each other. Just like dolphins, whales are susceptible to an unknown pathology - they can periodically wash ashore. The animals do this unconsciously (the ability of whales to commit suicide is nothing more than a stupid prejudice), but with such persistence that scientists are still puzzling over the reason for such strange behavior. Animals washed ashore are not always old or sick; moreover, sometimes, through the efforts of rescuers, they can be returned to the sea. Most likely, the root cause of such death is disruptions in the operation of the echo sounder caused by numerous radio sources (all modern navigation uses powerful sources and repeaters of radio waves). Such electromagnetic “noise” in the ocean confuses the giants and they approach the shores; moreover, accustomed to trusting their feelings, the whales stubbornly strive in the “right” direction until they run aground. Other sense organs in whales are poorly developed: the sense of smell is in its infancy, and vision is also rather weak.
On the top of the head there is a breathing hole - a blowhole. In more primitive baleen whales it consists of two openings (“nostrils”), in toothed whales there is only one opening. Interestingly, during exhalation, moist air from the lungs creates a kind of fountain, and its shape depends on the type of whale.
A blowhole with two nostrils on the head of a gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus).
The limbs of whales are arranged in a very unusual way. The front ones have turned into flattened fins, and their size can vary greatly among different species. For example, the fins of belted teeth and sperm whales are small, and they reach their greatest development in the humpback whale.
The long fins of a humpback whale resemble wings underwater.
But whales have no hind limbs at all; in their place in the lumbar spine there are only two small bones to which the muscles of... the genital organs are attached. The driving force in the whale's body is created by a powerful twin tail, but these are not modified hind legs, as some believe.
The powerful tail is used by whales for movement and protection.
The coloration of whales is varied, but discreet. More often, their body has a dark upper side and a lighter lower side; some species (Bryde's minke) may have clearly visible stripes on the underside of the head. Species such as the blue whale, gray whale, and sperm whale are uniformly gray or brown in color.
The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) gets its name from its rare white skin color.
Whales are widespread throughout all oceans (and some seas) of the globe. They are found only in deep waters; as a rule, they do not enter bays, river mouths and similar shallow waters. Whales usually move freely across the ocean, but their movement is not chaotic. Each whale species has favorite breeding grounds that they visit during certain seasons. The rest of the time, whales fatten up, but do this in areas remote from their breeding grounds. Thus, whales migrate with a cyclicity of 1 year. When feeding, whales swim at a speed of 10-20 km/h, but in case of danger they switch to a cruising speed of 50 km/h. Adult males and non-breeding females stay alone, females with cubs, as well as all animals during the breeding season form herds of 5-15 individuals. There is a peaceful atmosphere inside the herd: the whales have no internal hierarchy, they do not show aggression towards each other, in case of danger, all members of the herd try to defend themselves with common efforts, there are even cases of mutual assistance to wounded brothers. In general, whales, with their huge size and clumsiness, give the impression of stupid and uninteresting animals. But this is a false idea! These peculiar animals are endowed with developed intelligence and are not inferior to dolphins in intelligence. For example, there are cases when whales showed interest in the underwater photographers who were filming them - the animals approached people and even tried to play with them in their own way, pushing them to the surface. Another example: whalers tracked down a female whale with her calf and killed the latter. The whale carcass was transported to the cutting site in tow. All this time, the female swam nearby and tried to remove the corpse of the cub from the rope. Captive whales in captivity quickly get used to people and are able to perform tricks (to the best of their physical capabilities). Like all highly developed animals, whales love to play, while they jump high out of the water and beat their tails loudly.
Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata).
Whales feed on various marine animals, and in the diet of different species there is narrow specialization. Baleen whales eat exclusively plankton - the smallest sea crustaceans. They extract it by filtering large volumes of water. To do this, the whale opens its mouth and takes water into its mouth...
Humpback whales use their open mouths as a scoop.
then with his tongue, like a piston, he pushes the water out of his mouth - the water flows freely through the whalebone, but the crustaceans remain.
A whale strains water with plankton.
Toothed whales feed on fish, which they also catch not individually, but in whole schools. Sperm whales specialize in catching deep-sea fish and shellfish (mainly squid). Many whales make long dives for hunting; they can stay under water for up to 1.5 hours. The record holders for diving depth are sperm whales, which were encountered at a depth of 1 km!
Whales are very infertile animals. Females reach sexual maturity at 7-15 years, males only at 15-25. Moreover, each individual participates in reproduction no more than once every 2 years. In the mating ritual of whales there is not only no aggression, but also any kind of struggle at all. Male whales attract the attention of females with their songs! Whale voices are surprisingly delicate for animals of their size. Each species of whale has its own set of sounds, but even individuals of the same species differ in the tone of their voice. The whale's song resembles a melodic moan and sounds very loud. According to divers, when a whale sings, the water around it vibrates. Female whales can mate with several males, since there is no struggle between representatives of the stronger sex, selection occurs very in an unusual way. It turns out that the gonads of whales are enormous (in the sperm whale, for example, up to 10-20% of body weight) and are capable of producing large amounts of sperm. Thus, among several males mating with one female, the one whose hormonal status is higher wins. Pregnancy various types lasts 11-18 months. The female gives birth to only one calf, but it is large and developed. For example, the weight of a newborn blue whale is 2-3 tons. The calf is born tail first and, with the help of its mother, rises to the surface for its first breath. The mother often feeds the cub with very rich milk, due to which it grows quickly. The lactation period of whales is relatively short - 5-7 months. During this time, the cub manages to grow 2 times, then its growth slows down sharply. For another 1.5-2 years, the cub accompanies the mother, using her protection. In small and medium-sized whales, young animals are kept in herds until they reach sexual maturity, and sometimes later. Whales live 50-70 years.
Baby blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus).
It would seem that nothing could threaten such gigantic animals in this world. In reality, whales are very vulnerable to various dangers. In the ocean, whales have no enemies except... their own brothers. Killer whales (giant predatory dolphins often called whales) attack other species of cetaceans. Killer whales live in groups and act collectively, so even adult whales can hardly resist their coordinated attack, and the calves are completely defenseless. When attacked, whales try to escape by “flight”, swimming away from the herd of killer whales to high speed. If it was not possible to break away from the pursuit, the whale tries to fight off the attackers with strong blows of its tail, the mother swims under the calf from below, trying to cover it with her body.
But even in the absence of predators, whales have enough problems. Sometimes these animals experience... hunger. Massive fishing, global warming, and changing sea currents undermine the food supply of whales and animals can drift for several weeks in “barren” waters. Researchers have encountered extremely emaciated animals. In the Arctic Ocean, whales often become trapped in ice. Since whales breathe air, they are forced to surface regularly to replenish their supplies. If there are no suitable polynyas around, whales break through the ice with their heads, but they do not always succeed. When the ice is thick (or the opening is small), entire herds of whales suffocate under the ice.
Minke whale in Antarctic ice.
To top it all off, whales are actively hunted by people. Despite their impressive size (or rather, because of them), whales are attractive prey for fishing. There are no useless parts in a whale carcass; everything is used: fat (blub), meat, baleen, teeth, skin. Sperm whales are suppliers of very exotic products - spermaceti and ambergris. Spermaceti, despite its name, is not whale sperm at all, but a fat-like substance from the brain. Ambergris is found in the intestines and has a pleasant smell, which is why it got its name. Both substances are very valuable raw materials in the cosmetics industry and are extremely highly valued on the world market.
As a result of the impact of unfavorable factors, the number of almost all species of whales has greatly decreased, many species are on the verge of extinction. In this regard, the World Convention on the Prohibition of Whale Fishing was adopted (especially since whaling products have lost their relevance in our time). The only country that has not signed the convention is Japan. Japanese whalers still carry out mass fishing of all whales indiscriminately, justifying themselves by the fact that whale meat... is a traditional component of Japanese cuisine. On the other hand, tourism in whale breeding grounds has gained wide popularity. Nature lovers visit such places on small boats; queues line up to tour operators for the opportunity to watch whales live and hear their songs. Attempts to keep whales in captivity run into many obstacles: large species of whales cannot be kept due to their size, baleen whales cannot be fed with plankton, and catching an adult whale without killing it is very difficult. Repeated attempts to catch the cubs led to the death of the babies even at the transportation stage. Only the smallest species of whales (beluga whales, pilot whales) take root in aquariums, but they do not breed there. Perhaps, the only way conservation of these unique animals is a widespread ban on their hunting and comprehensive protection of water resources.
The carcass of a beached blue whale is being cut up for further scientific research.
It lives in water and has a fish-like body outline, then why is it not considered a fish?
Because a whale is a marine mammal that descends from earthly ancestors. Over the course of many millennia spent in the water, whales began to resemble fish in shape, but their body structure and lifestyle remained similar to land animals.
For example, whale fins have internal structure, resembling a hand with five fingers. On the body of some whales there are even bones where the hind legs should be! But the most important difference between whales and fish is that, like all other mammals, whales feed their young with mother's milk. These babies do not hatch from eggs or eggs, but are born alive. And for some time after birth, the baby whale remains close to its mother, who takes care of it.
Since all mammals have warm blood, and the whale does not have fur to keep it warm in icy water, it instead has blubber, which is a layer of subcutaneous tissue filled with fat that retains heat as well as a fur coat.
And whales breathe differently than fish. Instead of gills, they have lungs into which they draw air through two nostrils located at the top of their heads. When whales dive underwater, these nostrils close with small valves to keep water out. Every five to ten minutes the whale rises to the surface of the water to take a breath. First of all, he noisily spews out exhaust air through his nostrils. As a result of this, the very “fountain” that is always drawn in pictures about whales appears. Then he takes a deep breath of fresh air into his lungs and dives again to continue moving underwater.
Which whale is the biggest?
The largest whale is at the same time the largest animal in the world. This is a blue whale - its length can exceed 30 meters, and its weight reaches 125 tons.
It can be found in any seas, but most often it is found in the Pacific Ocean. It belongs to the group of toothless whales (the other group is called toothed whales).
It is quite difficult to imagine that the largest animal in the world can live without teeth. How do they do this? In their mouth they have a device consisting of hundreds of horny plates called baleen. They grow on the roof of the mouth (the top of the mouth) and form something like a sieve.
The blue whale feeds in the following way: with its mouth wide open, it quickly swims through an accumulation of prey, which consists mainly of small mollusks, shrimp and fish. Closing his mouth, he forcefully pushes water out of it. The water is filtered through the whalebone, but the prey remains. The whale's mouth resembles a huge container. And the length of his head is about a third of the length of his body.
Among the toothed whales, the largest are sperm whales. They have a huge head and reach 20 meters in length. The killer whale, or killer whale (actually a large dolphin), is the only cetacean that feeds on other warm-blooded animals. The killer whale is about 9 meters long, and it easily overtakes seals. Schools of killer whales even attack large whales.
Because whales live in water and have fish-like bodies, we often compare them to fish. But their skeletal structure, circulatory system and brain are not at all similar to fish.
What can you get from whales?
At one time whaling was very important. Now, to most of us, the very idea of whale hunting may seem a little strange. What good can we get from these enormous creatures?
But it turns out that the amount of valuable products obtained from whale hunting is very large. Thus, excellent fat is obtained from whale blubber (fat-containing subcutaneous tissue). This fat is used for lamps, and it is also used in making soap.
Many whales have very tasty meat. Their bones are used to make fertilizer. Spermaceti, or fat, which is found in the head cavity, is obtained from sperm whales. Spermaceti is used to make ointments, cosmetics and suppositories.
Ambergris is also obtained from sperm whales, a very valuable substance produced in their intestines, which is used in the manufacture of perfumes. The teeth of the sperm whale and the tusk of the narwhal are very valuable bones, comparable to ivory. And from the skin of a white whale they produce something like leather.
Did you know that all cetaceans are mammals? Their ancestors once lived on land. They still have fins that look like five-fingered hands. But living in water for many thousands of years, they adapted to such a life.
A whale is a marine animal of the chordate type, class mammals, order Cetacea. The whale received its modern name, consonant in many languages, from the Greek word kitoc, literally meaning “sea monster.”
Anatomically, the whale has teeth, but in some species they are in an undeveloped state. In toothless baleen whales, teeth are replaced by bony plates called baleen and adapted for straining food.
And only representatives of toothed whales grow identical cone-shaped teeth.
The whale's spine can contain from 41 to 98 vertebrae, and thanks to the spongy structure of the skeleton, elastic intervertebral discs give the animal's body special maneuverability and plasticity.
There is no cervical interception, and the head smoothly merges into the body, which noticeably tapers towards the tail. The whale's pectoral fins are modified and turned into flippers that perform the function of steering, turning and braking. The tail section of the body is flexible and muscular, has a slightly flattened shape and performs the function of a motor. At the end of the tail there are blades that are horizontal.
Most species of whales have an unpaired dorsal fin, which acts as a stabilizer when moving through the water column.
The skin of a whale is smooth, hairless, only single hairs and bristles grow on the face of baleen whales, similar to the whiskers of land animals.
The color of the whale can be monochromatic, spotted or counter-shaded, when the top of the animal is dark and the bottom is light. In some species, the color of the body changes with age.
Due to the absence of olfactory nerves, whales have almost completely lost their sense of smell. Taste buds are poorly developed, so unlike other mammals, whales only distinguish the salty taste. Whales have poor eyesight, most of these animals are myopic, but they have conjunctival glands that are absent in other animals.
In terms of whale hearing, the complex anatomy of the inner ear allows whales to detect sounds ranging from 150 Hz to the lowest ultrasonic frequencies. And due to the richly innervated skin, all whales have an excellent sense of touch.
Whales communicate with each other. The absence of vocal cords does not prevent whales from speaking and making special sounds using their echolocation apparatus. The concave bones of the skull, together with the fat layer, act as a sound lens and reflector, directing a beam of ultrasonic signals in the desired direction.
Most whales are quite slow, but if necessary, a whale's speed can be 20 - 40 km/h.
The lifespan of small whales is about 30 years, large whales live up to 50 years.
Where do whales live?
Whales live in all oceans. Most whale species are gregarious animals and prefer to live in groups of several tens or even thousands of individuals. Some species are subject to constant seasonal migrations: in winter, whales swim to warm waters where they give birth, and in summer they fatten in temperate and high latitudes.
What does a whale eat?
Most whales eat a certain type of food:
- planktivores eat exclusively plankton;
- teutophagous prefer to eat cephalopods;
- ichthyophages they eat only live fish;
- saprophages (detritivores) consume decomposed organic matter.
And only one animal from the order of cetaceans, the killer whale, feeds not only on fish, but also on pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, penguins), as well as other whales, dolphins and their calves.
Killer whale swims after a penguin
Types of whales with photos and names.
Modern classification divides the order of cetaceans into 2 main suborders:
- toothless or mustachioed whales (Mysticeti);
- toothy whales (Odontoceti), which includes dolphins, killer whales, sperm whales and porpoises.
The order Cetacea forms 38 genera, which include over 80 known species. Among this variety, several varieties can be distinguished:
- , aka humpback or long-armed minke whale(Megaptera novaeangliae)
got its name from the convex fin on its back, reminiscent of a hump. The body length of the whale reaches 14.5 meters, in some specimens it is 18 meters. The average weight of a humpback whale is 30 tons. The humpback whale differs from other representatives of the minke whale family in its shortened body, variety of colors and several rows of warty, leathery protrusions on the top of its head. Humpback whales live throughout the world's oceans, except the Arctic and Antarctic. Representatives of the North Atlantic population feed exclusively on fish: capelin, navaga, pollock, sardines, herring, haddock. The remaining whales eat small crustaceans, various shellfish and small schooling fish.
- Gray whale (California whale) (Eschrichtius robustus, Eschrichtius gibbosus)
the only species of whale that practices eating food from the bottom of the ocean: the animal plows the silt with a special keel-shaped outgrowth located under the lower jaw. The basis of the gray whale's food consists of many organisms that live on the bottom: annelids, snails, bivalves and other molluscs, crayfish, egg capsules and sea sponges, as well as small species of fish. Gray whales in adulthood have a body length of up to 12-15 m, the average weight of a whale varies from 15 to 35 tons, with females being larger than males. The body is brown-gray or dark brown, reminiscent of rocky shores in color. This species of whale lives in the Sea of Okhotsk, Chukchi and Bering, and in winter migrates to the Gulf of California and to the southern shores of Japan. Gray whales are record holders among animals for the duration of migrations - the distance covered by animals can reach 12 thousand km.
- bowhead whale (polar whale) (Balaena mysticetus)
long-lived among mammals. The average age of a polar whale is 40 years, but the known scientifically proven fact of longevity is 211 years. This is a unique species of baleen whale that spends its entire life in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere, often making its way like an icebreaker. The whale fountain rises to 6 m in height. The body length of mature females reaches 20-22 meters, males - 18 meters. The weight of a whale is from 75 to 150 tons. The animal's skin color is usually gray or dark blue. The belly and neck are lighter in color. An adult bowhead whale consumes almost 2 tons of various foods every day, consisting of plankton (crustaceans and pteropods).
- Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
the largest representative of toothed whales, and females are much smaller than males and have a body length of no more than 15 meters. The male whale grows up to 20 meters in length. Weight Limit females reach 20 tons, males - 50 tons. Sperm whales have such a characteristic appearance that they cannot be confused with other cetaceans. The giant head makes up over 35% of the length of the body, and, when viewed from the side, the sperm whale's muzzle looks like a slightly beveled rectangle. In the recess at the bottom of the head there is a mouth lined with 20-26 pairs of cone-shaped teeth. The weight of 1 whale tooth reaches 1 kilogram. The wrinkled skin of the sperm whale is often dark gray with a blue tint, although dark brown and even black individuals are found. Being a predator, the sperm whale hunts squid, cuttlefish, large fish (including some types of sharks), and also swallows all sorts of objects found in the ocean: empty bottles, rubber boots, toys, coils of wire. Sperm whales live throughout the world's oceans, but are more common in tropical waters than in cool ones. Most of the population is distributed off the coast of the Black Continent and the eastern coast of Asia.
- (Balaenoptera physalus)
the second largest animal on the planet. The length of an adult whale is 24-27 m, but thanks to its slender physique, the whale weighs only 40-70 tons. A distinctive feature of fin whales is the asymmetrical coloration of the muzzle: the right part of the lower jaw is white, and the left is dark. The whale's diet consists of small crustaceans. Fin whales live in all oceans: in winter they inhabit the waters of moderately warm zones, and in the warm season they swim to the waters of the Arctic and Antarctic.
- Blue whale (blue whale, vomited)(Balaenoptera musculus)
not only the largest whale in the world, but also the largest animal on our planet. The length of a blue whale can reach 33 meters, and the weight of a blue whale reaches 150 tons. This animal has a relatively slender build and a narrow muzzle. The body color within the species is uniform: most individuals are gray with a blue tint and gray spots scattered throughout the body, making the animal’s skin appear marbled. The blue whale feeds mostly on plankton and inhabits the entire World Ocean.
- Dwarf right whale (dwarf right whale, short-headed right whale)(Caperea marginata)
The smallest species of the suborder of baleen whales. The body of an adult does not exceed 4-6 m in length, and the whale’s body weight barely reaches 3-3.5 tons. Skin color is gray with dark spots, sometimes black. It is distinguished by a wave-like mode of movement, unusual for whales, and feeds on plankton. The pygmy whale is one of the rarest and smallest species of whales, living mainly in the waters of southern Australia and New Zealand.
Whale breeding
For the most part, whales are monogamous and breed once every 2 years. Whales reach the ability to reproduce by 3-5 years, but physically mature only at the age of 12 years. The mating season is very extended in time, because males are almost ready to mate whole year. Depending on the species, a female whale's pregnancy lasts from 7 to 18 months. Non-migratory whales give birth in the summer, the rest swim to warm waters and give birth there.
Childbirth occurs in the water column, one calf is born, and it always goes tail first. A newborn whale weighs 2-3 tons and is a quarter or even half the length of a female.
The whale calf can immediately move independently, but stays close to the mother, in whom the maternal instinct prevails above others.
Whales feed their young underwater. Whale milk is extremely thick and high-calorie, with a fat content of up to 54%, and does not spread in water. The mother feeds the calf for an average of 4-7 months (sperm whales up to 13 months). The cubs grow quickly and, upon completion of breastfeeding, increase in size to half their original length. All this time, the males of most whale species stay nearby and do not leave their family under any circumstances.
What is the difference between a whale and a sperm whale?
The sperm whale is a species of whale. It has its own specific features:
- The head of a sperm whale with a huge square forehead occupies from 1/4 to 1/3 of the length of the body. The head of other whales is relatively small: from 1/5 to 1/9 of the body length. The exception is some representatives of baleen whales, such as the bowhead whale, the southern right whale, whose head and body sizes are in the same proportion as those of sperm whales.
- The nostrils of whales are moved back and up. They can be paired (in baleen whales) or unpaired (one nostril) (in toothed whales). The sperm whale's nostrils are located asymmetrically and are moved forward, while one of them performs the respiratory function, and with the help of the other it makes sounds.
- The sperm whale belongs to the suborder of toothed whales, and its jaws are armed with numerous cone-shaped teeth. Mammals of the suborder baleen whales have horny plates instead of teeth, which replace teeth and are called baleen.
- Sperm whales have a huge spermaceti organ in their heads, filled with a fatty substance (spermaceti) that solidifies at low temperatures. It is assumed that this organ helps the animal dive and rise to the surface. Unlike the sperm whale, other whales do not have such an organ.
- Another difference is the dorsal fin. In whales it is solitary. In sperm whales it has an unusual structure for other whales - a small crest, followed by several similar ones, only smaller ones.
- The sperm whale is capable of diving to depths of up to 3000 m, which is much greater compared to other whales. It stays under water longer not only than other cetaceans, but also all living creatures on the planet that breathe atmospheric air.
- The sperm whale, like other toothed whales, feeds mainly on cephalopods, in particular squid and, in smaller quantities, fish, including deep-sea fish, grabbing them with its jaws. Baleen whales feed on plankton, small fish and other small vertebrates, filtering them from the water through the baleen.
- The pregnancy of sperm whales is longer than that of other cetaceans, lasting 16-18 months.
- All whales feed their young underwater. After a certain period of time, babies latch onto their mother's nipple for a few seconds. In this case, the cubs of all whales hold it between the tongue and the top of the palate, and the baby sperm whale holds it in the corner of the mouth.
- Sperm whales emit echolocation signals: clicks, crackles and creaks. Baleen whales, whose echolocation is not developed or is in its infancy, can pronounce a variety of sounds. For example, a bowhead whale can produce a growl, roar, moan, or purr; humpback whale songs are similar to the sounds of wind instruments; The moans of the fin whale resemble the sound of a flute from high to low tones. Many representatives of toothed whales make the same sounds as sperm whales, but at the same time they are capable of whistling, roaring, and killer whales can also scream like March cats.
- Whales swim faster than sperm whales, reaching speeds of more than 50 km/h. Maximum speed sperm whales rarely exceed 37 km/h, and generally do not exceed 10 km/h.
What is the difference between an orca and a whale?
The killer whale, like whales, belongs to the order Cetaceans, but it has certain characteristics:
- Killer whales differ from other whales in having a high dorsal fin, reaching 1 m in height. Moreover, males have a higher fin than females.
- In killer whales, in contrast to other whales, the head shortens with age, and the tail lengthens, that is, the tail grows faster than the head.
- Whales feed on plankton, small vertebrates, fish, and cephalopods. Killer whales, which also eat fish and shellfish at a young age, later become real predators, attacking warm-blooded animals. They eat sea lions, sea lions, elephant seals, porpoises, seals, walruses and even their fellow cetaceans. They swallow small prey whole, and large prey in large pieces.
- Whales are rather melancholic and slow animals. These sometimes clumsy sea giants are ready to filter water for hours, extracting krill from it. The killer whale is a fast and very active predator, deftly hunting prey swimming nearby.
- Killer whales are characterized by a strong attachment to each other and to their calves; their pod is difficult to separate. Many other whales lead a solitary lifestyle or gather in small groups of 3-4 individuals.
- For a long time, whales have been of great economic importance to humans. Bones and fat from the subcutaneous layers of the whale were boiled to obtain fat, which was used for the production of margarine, glycerin and was used in the soap industry.
- Spermaceti, extracted from the head of sperm whales, is included in cosmetics, including decorative lipstick and various creams. Before the invention of polymers, corsets were made from whalebone women's dresses and springs for upholstered furniture.
- Insulin and other products are produced from the secretions of the pancreas of whales. medications. Ambergris, contained in the intestines of the sperm whale, is widely used in perfumery as a flavor stabilizer.
- Uncontrolled whaling inevitably led to the almost complete extinction of many whale populations. Today, most species are listed in the International Red Book, and commercial whale hunting is prohibited by the legislation of most civilized countries.
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