Whales are the largest animal that has ever lived. Even though they are shaped like a huge fish and live in the sea, they are mammals. Their domain, however, is neither the depths of the sea where the fish swim (since they must surface periodically to breathe) nor the land where fellow mammals exist (if washed up on shore, they are completely immobilized). Commonly, the name whale applies to the larger members of the order Cetacea; the smaller members are known as dolphins or porpoises. Some whales live in large groups called herds, schools or pods. Others live in small family groups of two or three. A female whale is called a cow; a male is a bull; a baby is a calf. Most whales live up to 20-30 years. There are two distinct suborders of whales: 1) Toothed whales - those with peglike teeth numbering from two to 300, 2) Baleen or whalebone whales - those with no teeth whose mouths are filled with as many as 400 flexible plates. * Blue Whale - the largest of the baleens, said to have a heart the size of a small car. Classified as an endangered species. They can weigh up to 190 tonnes; average is about 120 tonnes (in perspective, an African elephant weighs 6 tonnes). * Humpback Whale - main characteristic is its humplike roll of fat on its back. They were hunted to the brink of extinction earlier in this century but are now making a comeback. * Gray Whale - one of the most active of all large whales. Also known as California gray whale, devilfish, mussel-digger, scrag whale. The Atlantic species is extinct. The population in the Northeast Pacific exists in moderate numbers as a result of conservation efforts. * Killer Whale - "wolves of the sea," hunting in packs of 20-30. Also known as orcas or blackfish. * Sperm Whale - the largest toothed whale, with an enormous square-shaped head. A small relative is the pygmy sperm whale. * Fin Whale - has a prominent fin and slender body. * Sei Whale - the fastest swimmer of all the great whales. * Minke Whale - has a graceful, streamlined body with a pointed head. Also called piked or lesser rorqual. * Southern Right Whale - has a "bonnet" on its snout with a huge head. * Brydes Whale - similar in shape and color to the Sei whale. Quiz: Which creature is commonly mistaken for a whale because of its mass?

Uploaded: 2/21/2004