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General Characteristics of Whales

Whales are found in open seas throughout the world and occasionally in coastal waters, as well. Certain species migrate, while others remain year-round in the same habitats. The skin of whales is usually black, gray, black, tan and white, or all white.

Swimming Characteristics of Whales

Like all members of the cetacean order, whales are propelled through the water by their powerful tails. The flippers are used almost entirely for steering and balance.

Whale Calves

Female whales usually become pregnant between spring and fall. The gestation (pregnancy) period normally ranges from nine to twelve months, although some toothed whale species, including the Sperm Whale, carry their young up to sixteen months.

Blowholes

Since they are mammals, whales have lungs, not gills. They must come to the ocean surface to breathe through nostrils known as blowholes.

The Whale

Of all the earth's animals, none is more fascinating than the whales, members of the order Cetacea. Although whales spend their lives in the sea, they are warm-blooded mammals. And just like land mammals, whale calves nurse on their mothers' milk.

Quick Facts on Assorted Whales

Checkout some quick facts on belugas, narwhals and bowheads.

Whales

Marine mammals are mammals which have adapted to life in the ocean. They have all the characteristics of mammals, yet are distinctive in their appearance and survival strategies. Identification of marine mammals is quite easy, particularly if you learn the basic groups.

Cetaceans

Animals in the whale order, cetaceans, include the whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Although whales spend all their time in the oceans, they are mammals just like us. This means that they are warm blooded, give live birth, nurse their young, have traces of hair or fur, and must come to the surface to breathe air through their lungs.

Whales and Dolphins

The whale is the world's largest mammal. Whales form part of a large group of warm blooded mammals adapted to life in the sea. Many myths speak of how all life upon the planet, especially human, sprang from the seas. Because of this and other reasons we will discuss, the whale is an ancient symbol for creation-be it of the body or our world.

Classification Chart for Whales

Did you know that whales rely much more on learned behavior than on instinct, the sign of a highly evolved intelligence. Learn more facts about whales from this site.