Facts About Whales

Humpback whale

Size:  40 to 50 feet
Weight:  45 tons (the same as 500 people!)

Humpback whales are baleen whales. This means that instead of having teeth inside their mouth, they have about 700 plates of baleen. This works like a strainer to filter out the small fish and krill that the whale eats from the water. Humpbacks are seen by themselves or in small groups. The small groups usually do not stay together for more than a few hours. 
Several humpbacks may get together to feed on a large school of fish. They sometimes trap the fish in a ring of bubbles, then open their huge mouths and engulf as much of the school as they can. A humpback’s mouth can hold thousands of gallons of water and fish.

True or False: Humpbacks never drink water.

The answer to this is true! Just like people, Humpbacks cannot drink salt water. But they do need water to survive. Instead of drinking water, they can use the water and other liquids in the fish that they eat.

Fin Whale

Size: 60-75 feet
Weight:  70 tons (the same as 775 people!)

The Fin whale, also known as Finback whale, is the second largest animal to live on earth. The only animal to ever be larger than the Fin whale is the Blue whale (100 feet). Even the dinosaurs weren’t as big as the Fin whale! This whale is usually solitary, spending most of its time by itself, but is occasionally seen in the company of another fin whale or pod of dolphins. They have baleen instead of teeth, and like to eat krill and herring. And they need to eat a lot of food every day to maintain their giant size: about one million calories (8000 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups)!

True or False: Fin whales are the loudest animal on earth.

True! Fin whales make the loudest sounds of any animal on earth. These sounds are five to ten times louder than the sound made by a jet taking off. The sounds are of a very low frequency that is below the human hearing range, but we could feel the vibration of the sound in the water. Fin whales can use these sounds to communicate over very large distances. A fin whale calling off the coast of North Carolina can be heard by other fin whales as far away as Nova Scotia, Bermuda and Puerto Rico!

Minke Whale

Size: 20-30 feet
Weight: 5-10 tons (the same as 1 big elephant and 1 baby elephant!)

Minke whales are baleen whales. Instead of teeth inside their mouth, Minkes have 300 plates of baleen. The inner edge of each plate has a hairy fringe to help the Minke filter the small fish it eats from the water. Minkes like to eat small fish like herring, capelin, mackerel and krill (like small shrimp). This whale usually lives by itself, but is sometimes seen swimming in pairs. Minke whales are not endangered. Scientists believe at least one million Minke whales roam all of the world’s oceans. 

True or False: Whale watchers always see Minke whales because they are so numerous throughout the world.

This answer is false. Even though Minke whales are found in all of the oceans, they are sometimes elusive, or shy away from boats. They also can move very quickly. Sometimes whale watchers never sight a Minke whale or only see it once before it disappears.
 

Atlantic White Sided Dolphin

Size: 7-9 feet
Weight: 500 pounds (the same as 3 people)


Dolphins live in groups called pods. Some pods are made up of a group of females and their offspring. Other pods are made up of males who visit different pods of females. They talk to each other using clicks and whistles. Each dolphin has its own name or signature whistle. They work together when catching food, helping each other get as much as possible. The Atlantic White Sided Dolphins like to eat small fish like herring, hake, smelt and squid.

True or False: Dolphins use their teeth to chew the fish before swallowing.

The answer to this is false. Dolphins use their teeth only to grab the fish. Once they have a good grip on one, they swallow it whole. The stomach of a dolphin is very complex and will digest the whole fish, bones and all.

Text and Photos by Dianna Schulte, senior naturalist