Whales evolved from land mammals and are related to horses and sheep. They have adaptations like blubber for insulation and temperature regulation, blowholes for breathing, and streamlined bodies. Whales communicate using echolocation and songs, have excellent hearing, and can slow their heart rates while diving. There are two main types of whales: toothed whales that hunt for food and baleen whales that filter feed krill. Whaling nearly wiped out many whale species until laws like the Marine Mammal Protection Act and International Whaling Commission were passed to regulate and protect whales.

1. Whales

2. Evolution
• From land mammals
• Related to horse and sheep

3. Temperature Regulation
• Blubber – Also aids with buoyancy
• Muscle movement generates heat
• Body parts are not exposed to elements,
instead are all tucked in

4. Oxygen
• Blowhole on top of the head-better placement for
animals who spend time with head under water
• Huge lungs that can fill/empty quickly (2 sec)
• High gas exchange rate-whales absorb 90%,
humans only absorb 2% of oxygen
• Can slow heart rate & shunt blood from non-vital
organs when diving

5. Anatomy
• Streamlined
• Adults – no hair
• Internalized body parts
(penis, mammary glands,
ears) reduce friction
• No hind limbs
• Fluke = tail; up/down;
used for identification

6. Senses
• Echolocation – biological sonar
• Excellent hearing – songs used for communication
• Good eyesight (except in dark where echolocation
is used instead)

7. Special Adaptations
• Collapsible lungs for when diving
• Nostrils stay shut while diving
• Do not get “the bends” (accumulation of Nitrogen
bubbles from diving)

8. Two Whale Types
• Suborder Odontoceti –
Toothed Whales
• Suborder Mysticeti –
Baleen Whales

9. Odontoceti – The Toothed Whales
• Grab food with teeth, don’t chew
• Chase/hunt food so can dive deeper than baleen
whales
• Most don’t migrate and travel in Pods (groups)
• Examples: Sperm, Orca, Pilot, Dolphin, Porpoise

10. Mysticeti – The Baleen Whales
• No teeth – instead 600-800 baleen plates to filter
krill through accordion-like pleats under mouth
• Their food lives nearer to surface, so they aren’t
deep divers
• Examples: Blue,
Humpback, Right

11. Reproduction
• Internal fertilization
and development
• Bear live young
• Nurse young
• Young grow
extremely quickly
• Low birth weight

12. Behaviors
• Breaching – jumping completely out of water
• Spyhopping – face up out of water
• Beaching – swimming up onto beach and
often dying when stuck there

14. Issues
Whaling:
– Nearly wiped out many species
– Was for food, oil, etc.
– Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) – bans
hunting/harassing marine mammals
– International Whaling Commission (IWC) – makes
regulations pertaining to whaling