Whales (family Balaenidae) are among the largest creatures on Earth and have existed for millions of years. They belong to the group of baleen whales (Mysticeti), which are mammals adapted to aquatic life and possess baleen plates instead of teeth for filtering food.
However, in everyday language, the word “whale” is often used broadly to refer to all cetaceans — both baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti).
In this article, we will explore where whales live, what they eat, and their key behaviors and habits, covering both baleen and toothed species.
Baleen whales have no teeth; instead, they use baleen plates to filter food from the water. They are divided into four groups: right whales, pygmy right whales, rorquals, and gray whales.
Feeding technique: Right whales use a method called skim-feeding, swimming slowly at the surface while filtering water through their baleen plates to capture plankton.
Distribution:
The southern right whale is found mainly in the Southern Hemisphere (South Atlantic, South Pacific, parts of the Southern Ocean), migrating to warmer waters in winter to breed.
The North Pacific right whale lives in the North Pacific.
The North Atlantic right whale inhabits the North Atlantic Ocean.
Rorquals are characterized by expandable throat pleats that allow them to take in large volumes of water before filtering out prey.
Notable species:
Blue whale and fin whale: Found in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Antarctic waters.
Bryde’s whale: Found in warm, coastal tropical and subtropical seas; feeds on fish and plankton.
Sei whale: Lives in deep oceans worldwide.
Humpback whale: Highly migratory, spending summers feeding in high-latitude waters and winters breeding in tropical seas.
Minke whale: Found in both Northern and Southern Hemisphere oceans.
Omura’s whale: A recently identified species found around the seas of Japan.
Medium-sized whales, mainly found in the North Pacific.
Feeding: They feed by scooping up sediment from the ocean floor with their heads, filtering out mud and retaining small crustaceans such as krill and amphipods.
Toothed whales are strictly carnivorous, using their teeth to catch prey such as fish, squid, crustaceans, and sometimes small marine mammals.
They are widely distributed in oceans around the world. Key species include:
Dolphins: The most widespread and diverse group.
Beluga whales: Inhabit Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.
Orcas (killer whales): Apex predators found in nearly all seas.
Sperm whales: Deep-diving whales living in global deep-sea waters.
Beaked whales: Elusive deep-sea species.
River dolphins: Freshwater dolphins found in rivers in South America and Asia.
Whales display fascinating behaviors that are essential for their survival:
Long-Distance Migrations
Whales migrate in groups (clans), traveling thousands of kilometers for feeding or breeding.
For example, many baleen whales feed on krill in polar waters during summer and return to warmer waters in winter to reproduce.
Group Structure
In migratory pods, reproductive females often lead, while calves remain protected at the rear of the group.
Communication and Echolocation
Whales use echolocation — emitting sounds of varying frequencies and interpreting their echoes — to navigate, locate prey, and communicate.
Unfortunately, human activities (ship noise, sonar, pollution) can interfere, often causing disorientation and strandings.
Whales are among the largest and most widely distributed marine mammals on Earth:
Baleen whales: Filter feeders, consuming krill, plankton, and small fish.
Toothed whales: Active hunters, feeding on fish, squid, and marine mammals.
Distribution: Found in every ocean, from polar regions to tropical seas, in both shallow and deep waters.
Behavior: Known for long migrations, complex social structures, and advanced communication systems.
Whales not only play a vital role in marine ecosystems but also inspire awe as one of nature’s most remarkable creatures.
animal tags： whales
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