World Whale Day: 9 things you probably didn’t know about whales

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Written by Reef-World

We don’t need an excuse to celebrate our favourite ocean giants, but as it’s World Whale Day on 20 Feb 2021, we’re showing them a little extra love. For many people, whales evoke a sense of wonder and mystery. For centuries, these creatures have inspired humans to write stories about them, conduct research on them, innovate from them and, sadly, hunt them too. 

But what is it that makes whales so special? In recognition of World Whale Day, here are a few whale-y interesting things that you might not know about these ocean giants. 

There are two ‘types’ of whale on the planet

There are two main groups of whales: toothed and baleen. Toothed whales have – you guessed it –- teeth! They make up 76 species of all whales and include the likes of sperm whales, belugas and narwhals too. These guys are social beings and expert hunters. They use biosonar to hunt their prey of large fish, octopus and squid.

Baleen whales, on the other hand, don’t have teeth at all. Instead, their mouths are fringed with curtain-like keratin plates. They’re filter feeders, which means they consume huge quantities of water, teeming with tasty krill or shrimp. Using their filtered mouths, they force the water out like a sieve, and swallow whatever is left. Gulp!

Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever lived

How’s this for a bonkers fact: the blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth. Ever! Weighing up to an incredible 200 tons (that’s about 33 elephants!), it’s more than double the estimated weight of the biggest known dinosaur. And although it’s actually shorter than the longest known dino (Argentinosaurus huinculensis, in case you’re interested), it gets extra points for having a tongue that weighs as much as an elephant and a heart that weighs as much as a Volkswagen Beetle. Impressive!

Whales love to sing

Did you know that whales love a good sing-song? Unlike other species of mammals that have genetically hardwired mating calls, whale songs can only be learned from other whales and are pretty complex in sound (think more Pavarotti than Peter Andre).

Male humpbacks are by far the best-known crooners, with serenades that can last for up to 30 minutes – they’ve even appeared on album charts! Bowheads have the biggest back-catalogue of songs and, like jazz musicians, they like to improvise. And, being the largest mammal on Earth, it’s no surprise that blue whales are known to have the lowest frequency songs. Move over, Barry White!

A bowhead whale can live for up to 200 years

As far as marine mammals go, it seems the bowhead whale has the most birthday candles to blow out – over 200 in fact. Which is handy, because they also have the largest mouth of all mammals too. Fun little side fact, there. 

What’s their secret to longevity, we hear you ask? Well, scientists put it down to their cold environment. Bowheads spend their lives swimming in Arctic waters, where chilly conditions cause low body temperatures, leading to a slow metabolism and less tissue damage. 

A grey whale’s lifetime migration is equivalent to a round-trip to the moon

Grey whales are known for performing one of the world’s longest migrations. Each year, they travel in pods, completing a round-trip of over 10,000 miles from their summer home in Alaskan waters to the more temperate waters of Mexico. 

During its average lifetime of 40 years, this great migrator tots up some serious mileage – with a distance equivalent to travelling to the moon and back! And you thought your commute was long.

Whale tails are like fingerprints

Just like a human’s fingerprints or a zebra’s stripes, no one whale tail is the same as another. And this is how scientists identify them. In the same way that the patterns and grooves on our fingertips are unique, so are the undersides of whales’ flukes. They show distinct differences in colour, shape and other distinguishing characteristics, like scars or barnacles. 

Comparing fluke IDs is a less costly (and less invasive) alternative to tagging whales. Even better, anyone with a camera, the right knowledge and a passion for whale conservation can take part in this citizen science! 

Sperm whales like to nap vertically

This is one of our favourite whale facts! When whales need to kip, they have an incredible ability to shut down half their brains, using their other half to control their breathing, while keeping one eye on obstacles and predators. But while most whales like to sleep horizontally (known as “logging” due to their likeness to a floating log), sperm whales do things just a little differently.

These fellas are known to snooze with their bodies totally vertical to the ocean floor. It’s a bizarre sight! Their power-naps can last up to around 12 minutes and have been found to only take place between 6pm and midnight. 

The blue whale was almost hunted to extinction

There were once estimated to be over 225,000 Antarctic blue whales. That is, before they were almost completely exterminated in the 20th century as a result of commercial whaling. Today, that number is less than 3,000, which means they are now considered critically endangered. 

But there is a little ray of hope. According to the WWF, in 2020, a team of scientists conducted a survey on their expedition to the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. They reported to count an amazing 55 Antarctic blue whales – a number they described as “unprecedented!”

Humpback whales have inspired wind turbines

From shark-skin inspired swimsuits to drone technology from bees, humans have been inspired by animals to innovate for centuries. But did you know that replicating the bumps on a humpback’s fin has led to more efficient wind turbines? 

Yes, scientists have found that humpback whales’ incredible underwater agility is all thanks to the little bumps on the leading edges of their flippers. It’s known as the ‘tubercle effect’ and it’s the reason that humpbacks can reach such high speeds for their size. This little feat of nature has led to more streamlined turbine blades which reduce drag and utilise more energy from wind and water. Go nature!

Do you have a favourite whale fact? We’d love to hear it!

Written by Hannah Hesford