Whales are magnificent marine mammals, fascinating scientists and the public alike with their immense size, complex social structures, and incredible migrations...
Whales are broadly categorized into two suborders: baleen whales (Mysticeti), which filter feed with baleen plates (e.g., humpback, blue whales), and toothed whales (Odontoceti), which hunt prey using teeth (e.g., orcas, sperm whales, dolphins).
Whales communicate through a variety of sounds, including clicks, whistles, and complex songs. These vocalizations are used for navigation, finding prey, attracting mates, and maintaining social bonds within their pods.
Whales inhabit all the world's oceans, from polar waters to tropical seas. Many species undertake vast annual migrations, typically moving from colder feeding grounds to warmer breeding and calving grounds.
Major threats include entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, ocean noise pollution, habitat degradation, and climate change, which impacts food sources and migration patterns.