Gray whales are magnificent animals, they are also called the devilfish. It is the only member of the family Eschrichtiidae. The scientific name for this marine animal is Eschrichtius robustus, the name comes from a Danish zoology professor who studied them. The Gray whale belongs to the order Cetacea and the mammal class. In the order Cetacea there are dolphins, whales, and porpoises, these animals are adapted for living life in the water. The Gray whale is one of the great migraters and may travel in groups called pods. Gray whales got their name because of their grey skin and white mottling on their skin. They are also covered with parasites that make them look like an ocean rock. In class we learned that in the Cetacea order they are warm-blooded, …show more content…
The female is a little larger than the male. The female can reach up to 50 feet in length and can have a calf every 2-3 years. These whales have two blow holes side-to-side on top of their head. The diet of the Gray whale consists of crustaceans called amphipods, plankton, tube worms, they find there food on the ocean floor. They dive to the bottom, roll on their side and suck in the sediment. Gray whales don’t have teeth they have baleen plates which they use to eat and helps to filter the water out. These whales have between 130-180 pairs of baleen plates and are about ten inches long. They mostly feed during the summer time in Alaska during the months of May and September. Some feeding also takes place during the migration but rarely during breeding. They are called the devilfish because of how the defend themselves and their calves. Gray whales don’t sing like other whales they Make gurgles and warbling sounds. The lifespan of a Gray whale is more than 40 years. Gray whales reach sexual maturity at 5-11 years of age. Gray whales mate during the winter or early spring. The gestation last 13 months. The calves are born in winter and are independent of the mother after only nine months. The calf weighs 1,100 pounds and is about 15 feet at birth. Calves nurse until they are 8 months on milk that is 53% fat. Mating and calving both happens in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico, although both
Should killer whales be kept in captivity? Killer whales are mammals that travel in schools. These mammals eat large fish, seals, and even other whales. Killer whales can be dangerous, and are really big animals. When looking at all the evidence about killer whales in SeaWorld, laws and actions need to be enforced with this dangerous activity.
This has been a tradition of the Makah Indians for more than 2000 years. They had to stop in 1926 due to the scarcity of gray whales. But their abundance now makes it possible to resume their ancient practice of the hunt.
One of the things this company claims is that the killer whales actually live longer in their care. According to the website Sea World of Hurt, this is completely false, killer whales in the wild have a similar life span to humans, they can live from anywhere to 50-100 years. Held captive, these animals hardly live past twenty-five years. In the wild, an orcas dorsal fin is straight, which is the way it should be. In captivity, you will mostly see their dorsal fins flopped over or completely collapsed.
The gray whale is a migratory species that spends the majority of its summers feeding in the Arctic Ocean near Alaska. Every winter thousands of gray whales, many of them pregnant, leave the hostile waters of Alaska and travel 4000 miles to the warm and salty lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California Coast. They cluster around 3 primary lagoons in which they stay until late April, however only one of them remains unmarred by human activity. This last remaining refuge, Laguna San Ignacio, is now in great danger of becoming invaded by the corporate world. The high salinity of the waters provide many benefits for the whales. Because of this high salt content, the whales become much more buoyant and expend much less energy remaining afloat. This proves to be very beneficial for the newborn calves that are just learning to swim and nurse. Another benefit the lagoons of Baja California possess is the warm water temperature in comparison to the chilly waters of the Arctic. This warmth provides heat to the newborns and prevents excessive losses of body temperature, thereby conserving energy that would otherwise be required to maintain a constant body temperature. Also, the seclusion of the lagoons from the dangers of the open seas, such as high waves created by storms, makes it a safer place for the newborn calves, as mother and child are less likely to become separated. These benefits substantially increase the survival rates of newborns as well as provide a more comfortable nursing environment. However the country of Mexico as well as the Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan project to make millions by the development and expansion of the salt factory, Exportadora de Sal.
Image sitting on the beach one July morning. The sun is beaming down and decide to go for a swim. As you approach the water, you see a whale unusually close. You begin to get nervous as it continues to approach the shore. However, you aren’t worried because you know that they are confined to the sea. As the whale comes near you can see it clearly. Just as you think that it will turn around, the whale walks out of the ocean!
“… building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn’t be large enough for a six-ton male killer whale such as Tilikum, an animal capable of swimming 100 miles a day,” states an anonymous whale expert. Whales have been in captivity since 1861 when P.T. Barnum displayed the first live whale that was captured in Canada. However, Barnum had no idea how to care for the mammal and it died after only a week in captivity. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Being up close with killer whales could give us some clues about how they interact with each other, including physical behavior, their dialect, and how their pods work together as a family unit. However, what we are finding is that whales who belong in the wild are suffering in captivity. Killer whales have no record of ever harming a human being in the wild. In captivity, there have been many incidents of killer whales harming or even killing their trainers. What would cause them to do this in captivity, but not in the wild? They have been known to resort to aggression toward themselves and each other, in what scientist believe to be a stress induced behavior. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Evidence against having these wild animals in captivity is increasing and we need reevaluate the value of capturing and holding killer whales for our educational purposes, enjoyment, and profit.
Orcinus orca is the scientific name for the massive marine mammal. Orcas are not rare, but have declining numbers in some areas (Martin.) Orcas are found from the Artic Ocean to the Antartic Ocean. (Britannica) They belong to the Delphinidae, or dolphin family, which is the largest of their species. Female orcas grow to be at the most 15 feet, and weigh up to 4 tons, but the males can grow as large as 20-30 feet, and weight up to 8 tons. (Martin) The color of the orca is white in some spots, black on the majority of the body, and gray just behind the dorsal fin. It is white on the chin, belly and the eye. The white patch above the eye is usually mistaken for the eye, and may confuse their prey, but acts as a camouflage for the eye. The name “killer whale” makes people tend to believe that this is a viscious man-eating mammal, yet it is one of the most shrewd, docile and playful species of the marine mammals. The orca is sexually mature at 10-15 years of age, much like humans, which is 12-13 years of age. They tend to mate year round, and is able to have a calf every two years. It is interesting to know that lactation of the mother lasts 12 or more months (Wynne.) The life expectancy of orcas is 45-50 years of age.
Their dorsal fin is extremely long, tampered and pointed in a triangular shape or rounded and curved towards the end. The skull is oval shaped and the beak is extremely short and rounded at the end. The killer whale’s jaw is powerful with teeth that are able to tear apart flesh of their prey. They can withstand the jolting, wiggling and hurtling movements of prey that are trying to escape. The killer whale is born with a single blow hole instead of two. Their flippers are paddle shaped with rounded ends and flukes are tapered back and pointed at the end resembling to a triangle/pyramid
Orca whales are the largest members of the dolphin family. Orcas are very curious creatures, they like to sky hop, which is when they poke their heads out of the water and look around, and they can also dive to as much as a hundred feet. These social animals live in pods and stay with them for their whole lives. They are so family oriented that they can may sleep together in a tight circle and have synchronized breathing. Orcas can grow up to thirty-two feet and can weigh nine tons. They typically eat five percent of their body weight and are amazing hunters. The lifespan of an orca in their natural habitat is about fifty years. This lifestyle for them is wonderful because they can swim as far as they want to and are free. Orcas should not be held captive because the capture process is dangerous, it is not good for their health, and their trainers are at risk. Free Willy. Dir Simon Wincer. 1993.Video. Warner Bros Home Video
The origin of modern day whales, a mystery that has puzzled paleontologists for years, may have just been solved with the discovery of an ankle bone. This discovery might sound simple and unimportant, but the bones of these ancient animals hold many unanswered questions and provide solid proof of origin and behavior. The relationship between whales and other animals has proven to be difficult because whales are warm-blooded, like humans, yet they live in the sea. The fact that they are warm-blooded suggests that they are related to some type of land animal. However, the questions of exactly which animal, and how whales evolved from land to water, have remained unanswered until now.
Orcas, commonly known as killer whales, are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. They were given the name “killer whale” by sailors who often observed them attacking and killing seals, sea lions, walruses, penguins, dolphins, polar bears and even other whales (Orcas).
Orcas, or killer whales are majestic giants of the sea. They are actually the largest type of dolphin. They have long black bodies with distinct white patches near their eyes. A killer whale can be up to 32 feet or more in length, and weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Females are a bit smaller, but live longer (Gorman). The name “killer whale” apparently came not because it is a vicious whale, but because it preys on whales. They do not have any natural predators, and they are considered the “top dog” of the ocean. Not even the great white shark stands a chance against these superb killers. “Unlike sharks, killer whales are cautious hunters, sometimes spending hours harassing a 1,000-pound sea lion so it can easily be drowned” (Francis). Orcas use many hunting tactics that are unique to their species, which is what makes them invincible.
The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) has had a slow recovery since the cessation of commercial...
The Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, is part of the marine mammals group. They are found in oceans all over the world, they live in open waters. Even though they are mammals, they do not live on land (Monterey Bay Aquarium). Humpback whales are known for their magical song that can travel great distances. These gentle giants are omnivores, their main diet is krill. They are mostly found near coastlines feeding on tiny shrimp-like krill, plankton and small fish. Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding water closer to the Equator. Humpback whales are powerful swimmers, and they use their massive tail fin, called a fluke to propel themselves through or even out of the water! Mothers and their young swim close together, often touching one another with their flippers with what appears to be gestures of affection. Even though it takes more than one year for a humpback whale to grow fully, mother whales leave them after one year (National Geographic).
Dolphins are well known for their agility and playful behavior in the wildlife of all the oceans in the world. They have many characteristics, and also there are a variety of different types and kinds of dolphins, which make them very intelligent creatures. Dolphins are smart marine mammals and great swimmers. They are known to be very friendly to humans and other wildlife creatures, dolphins often display a playful attitude which makes them popular to human nature and the culture. They can be seen jumping out of the water,riding waves, play fighting and occasionally interacting with people swimming in the water. Dolphins love hanging along the sea shores of all beaches around the coast, where it is warm and tropical(Fun dolphin facts).Dolphins are believed to be the most intelligent animals on earth