Whales are fascinating creatures that inhabit the oceans, and today we will share some interesting knowledge about them. The largest, heaviest, and most diverse marine mammal in existence, whales have been around for approximately 200 million years.
They are known for their massive size, which can be more than 30 meters long and weigh tens of tons, and they consume tons of food daily to maintain their life.
Despite living in water, whales are mammals, not fish. They adapted to living underwater, which gives them a fish-like appearance. They do not have gills and breathe directly with their lungs, requiring them to go to the surface of the water every once in a while to breathe air through their nostrils.
Throughout evolution, their nostrils moved from the tip of the mouth to the top of the head to facilitate breathing. In this way, they can breathe as long as the top of their head is above the water.
When they breathe, they exhibit a typical behavior, commonly known as "spraying water," but it is more accurate to say that they are jetting gas because what whales spew out is primarily gas.
Most whales are social animals and form large social groups where they live, breed, and migrate together. They migrate vast distances, some even across entire oceans. Some whale species have extremely high IQs and even complex emotional thoughts.
Cetaceans have a keen sonar system and are capable of using echolocation to communicate with each other and find food. The sonar principle of whales inspired humans to invent sonar.
Whales reproduce very slowly, typically giving birth to only one calf per year. The long periods of nursing and care required for young after birth result in a long reproductive cycle for whales, taking decades to reach maturity.
Sadly, under human encroachment, 1/4 of species of whales are on the verge of extinction. Although the International Whaling Commission has banned commercial whaling since the 1980s, some countries still hunt cetaceans in large numbers, causing a sharp decline in the number of whales and seriously damaging the ecological balance of the ocean.
Whales are not only important members of marine ecosystems but also indicators of ecosystem health. If there are fewer whales, the entire marine ecosystem will be affected, and humans will suffer as a result.
Therefore, it is essential to participate actively in the protection of whales, reduce the damage to the marine ecosystem, and restore a healthy and beautiful marine ecological environment.
Many international measures have been introduced to protect the health of whales and marine ecosystems. The most famous of these is the International Convention on Whaling, which was adopted in 1986 to protect whales and other cetaceans and ban commercial whaling.
This convention has been signed and observed by many countries and has played a positive role in whale protection.
Whales are magical creatures that have been around for millions of years. They are the largest, heaviest, and most diverse marine mammals in existence. Whales are not only important members of marine ecosystems but also indicators of ecosystem health.
It is essential to protect them and reduce the damage to the marine ecosystem. Humans must actively participate in the protection of these fascinating creatures to restore a healthy and beautiful marine ecological environment.
