Ian
priscilla 1Whales
January 27th 2007 06:51
Like all mammals, whales breathe air into lungs, are warm-blooded, feed their young milk from mammary glands, and have some (although very little) hair. Whales breathe through blowholes, located on the top of the head so the animal can remain submerged. Some whales, such as the Sperm Whale, can stay underwater for up to two hours holding a single breath. The Blue Whale is the largest known mammal that has ever lived, and the largest living animal, at up to 30 m (93ft) long and 180 tons.
The photos below are of Right Whales, Humpback Whales and Orcas or Killer Whales. Many more great photos can be seen here.
Right whales can grow up to 18 m (60 feet) long and weigh up to 100 tonnes. Their rotund bodies are mostly black, with distinctive callosities (roughened patches of skin) on their heads. They are called "right whales" because whalers thought the whales were the "right" ones to hunt, as they float when killed and often swim within sight of the shore. Populations were vastly reduced by intensive harvesting during the active years of the whaling industry. Today, instead of hunting them, people often watch these acrobatic whales for pleasure.
The Humpback is a very large whale: an adult can usually range between 12–16 m (40–50 ft) long and weighs approximately 36,000 kg (79,000 pounds). It is well known for its breaching (leaping out of the water), its unusually long front fins, and its complex whale song. The Humpback Whale lives in oceans and seas around the world, and is regularly sought out by whale-watchers.
The Orca or Killer Whale despite its name is not actually part of the whale family. It is actually the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family. It is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm, tropical seas. Orcas are highly social and generally travel in stable, matrilineal family groups. Orcas are versatile predators, with some populations feeding mostly on fish and others on other marine mammals, including large whales. Wild orcas are usually not considered a threat to humans. There have, however, been isolated reports of captive orcas attacking their handlers at marine theme parks.
*These pictures used with permission from Damn Funny Pictures.
**This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation Licence. It uses material from the Wikipedia articles Orca, Humpback Whale, Whale and Right whale.
The photos below are of Right Whales, Humpback Whales and Orcas or Killer Whales. Many more great photos can be seen here.
Right whales can grow up to 18 m (60 feet) long and weigh up to 100 tonnes. Their rotund bodies are mostly black, with distinctive callosities (roughened patches of skin) on their heads. They are called "right whales" because whalers thought the whales were the "right" ones to hunt, as they float when killed and often swim within sight of the shore. Populations were vastly reduced by intensive harvesting during the active years of the whaling industry. Today, instead of hunting them, people often watch these acrobatic whales for pleasure.
Right Whale
The Humpback is a very large whale: an adult can usually range between 12–16 m (40–50 ft) long and weighs approximately 36,000 kg (79,000 pounds). It is well known for its breaching (leaping out of the water), its unusually long front fins, and its complex whale song. The Humpback Whale lives in oceans and seas around the world, and is regularly sought out by whale-watchers.
Humpback Whales
The Orca or Killer Whale despite its name is not actually part of the whale family. It is actually the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family. It is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm, tropical seas. Orcas are highly social and generally travel in stable, matrilineal family groups. Orcas are versatile predators, with some populations feeding mostly on fish and others on other marine mammals, including large whales. Wild orcas are usually not considered a threat to humans. There have, however, been isolated reports of captive orcas attacking their handlers at marine theme parks.
Two Killer Whales or Orcas
Breaching
*These pictures used with permission from Damn Funny Pictures.
**This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation Licence. It uses material from the Wikipedia articles Orca, Humpback Whale, Whale and Right whale.
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Comment by Lily
Ars Poetica
'woww, really?'. just like i did.
thank you for these pics... they are delightful, especially the last one... 'breaching' .. just, looks so happy lol
~Lily