Whale Protection

Killer whales use a variety of vocal sounds to hunt, communicate, and orient themselves within their environment. They can produce a number of different sounds, including clicks, whistles and pulsed calls. These sounds are used for a number of daily life activities; for example, clicks appear to be used mainly for navigation and hunting, but are also commonly used to communicate to fellow family members.

Members of a family pod, or resident whales, share a particular … More

There are seven species of whales currently on the endangered list. This represents over half of the great whale species that share the planet. The blue whale, the humpbacked whale, and the sperm whale are well known members of the endangered species list. The baiji whale is a species of toothed whale that lives in the Yangtze River in China. It is currently the most endangered species of whale, with only 300 of the whales remaining.
The reasons for the severe depletion of the whale population are numerous, but many causes can be tied directly to human behavior. At one point, … More

One thing that makes the blue whale unique is the fact that it is the largest animal that ever lived on the earth. They can be up to 94 feet long. They have a blue gray skin with small white gray spots. They can weigh about 120 tons. More than often, the female blue whales weigh more than the males. Another amazing thing about the blue whale is the size and weight of their hearts. A blue whale heart can weigh about 1,000 pounds.Didn-t catch that? This explains it.

The sounds that the blue whales makes are very loud. They are considered … More

Imagine weighing 145 tons and eating enough to maintain your size, while having no teeth. The baleen species of whales contain some of the most enormous animals on earth, yet they have no teeth. This is the primary difference that sets baleen apart from toothed whales.

Instead of teeth, they have baleen plates comprised of keratin. This is the same substance that human nails and hair are made of. Baleen consists of hundreds of long, rough bristles that hang from … More

Beluga whales, one of the smallest species of whales, are known as “White Whales’ because of their unique color. Unlike most whales, beluga whales can actually turn their heads in all directions because of their flexible necks.

Belugas are social mammals, living together in pods, and communicate with their social groups with a complex language filled with clicks and whistles. In addition to the usual beluga whale language, these graceful animals can also mimic a variety of other sounds, prompting the small whales to … More

If you can-t afford to making on a whale-watching tour this year consider yourself lucky ” the weather-s too cold for much good spotting anywhere near the US. If you-re itching to see your mammalian friends in action tune into your DIRECT TV Choice Extra packages to catch some of our favorite whale classics
Whale Wars: Who hasn-t heard of Whale Wars yet? Discovery-s high-stakes thriller follows whale protection agencies as they fight the good fight against poachers. It-s high octane and there-s always a reason to laugh, cry and get mad.
Blue Whale Odyssey: National Geographic Channel often reruns this whale classic in which camera crews follow a herd of blue whales from the Pacific all the way to colder waters. It-s a fascinating look inside the life of a wild whale and as always, National Geographic does it right.
Free Willy: Who can resist? This children-s classic still has a heart as anyone who loves whales can attest and it-s good viewing for the whole family. It-s also one of Elijah Wood-s first films so you-re bound to get a kick out of how young he looks.

The name Killer Whale is pretty menacing, but the animal really is not—at least when it comes to human beings. Killer whales, also known as orcas, eat fish and marine mammals, just like sharks or many other species of whale. Though orcas kill a lot of animals to survive, it shouldn’t be a surprise—after all, an average-sized orca needs 550 pounds of food per day. Though there have been instances of trainers being harmed by killer whales in captivity, there is no recorded instance of a killer … More

The gray whale gets it’s name from their dark gray skin and white and grey patches on their skin from scars made by parasites feeding on them. The gray whale’s main source of food is benthic crustaceans found on the ocean floor. The largest part of their population is located in the Eastern Pacific. They can grow to over fifty-two feet and weigh more than thirty-six tonnes. Mother gray whales, or cows, carry their newborns for about one year. The newborn comes out tail … More

If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of all things oceanic you might want to bookmark the national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) webpage for information on a wide array of topics specific to your area of interest.The organization dates back to 1807and has evolved to meet the needs of a changing country by staying current on issues such as:

• Oil and chemical spills
• Marine protected areas
• Coral reefs
• Marine debris
• National Marine Sanctuary System
• State of the Coast Natural Resource Restoration Coastal Ecosystem Science
• Tides and currents
• Hydrographic surveying

Additionally, the organization is involved with … More