{"id":1761,"date":"2026-03-16T21:33:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T02:33:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stevencwelsh.info\/news\/stevewire\/?p=1761"},"modified":"2026-03-16T21:36:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T02:36:49","slug":"10-wonderful-whale-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stevencwelsh.info\/news\/stevewire\/10-wonderful-whale-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Wonderful Whale Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"caption content-header__date\"><em>[originally appeared 1.13.20 at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/10-wonderful-whale-facts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/10-wonderful-whale-facts<\/a>; last updated by <a class=\"office-vocab__item\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/about\/office-communications\">NOAA Fisheries Office of Communications<\/a> 4.25.23]<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"content-header__content text--large\">How much do you know about different species of whales? As we celebrate Whale Week, take a look at some interesting tidbits and see if you learn something new about these majestic creatures.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"content-header hr\">\n<p class=\"content-header__content text--large\">How much do you know about different species of whales? As we celebrate Whale Week, take a look at some interesting tidbits and see if you learn something new about these majestic creatures.<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-header__footer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\n<div class=\"article__hero article__hero--news\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-responsive ls-is-cached lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/s3\/\/styles\/original\/s3\/2022-02\/humpback-whale-breaching-lightened-1280x800.jpg?itok=adDac5x8\" alt=\"A humpback whale calf breaches in the waters off Hawaii\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span class=\"dam_caption\">A humpback whale calf breaches in the waters off Hawaii. Photo: NOAA Fisheries\/Marie Hill.<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__content article__content--news modal__target wyswyg-edit\">\n<p>Celebrate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/whale-week-celebrating-wonder-whales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Whale Week<\/a>\u00a0with ten things you might not know about whales.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Complex Singers<\/h3>\n<p>Male\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/humpback-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">humpback whales<\/a> found in U.S. waters sing complex songs in winter breeding areas in waters near Hawaii, in the Caribbean, and elsewhere that can last up to 20 minutes and be heard miles away.<\/p>\n<div id=\"med-emb_01407904236\" class=\"embedded-entity\" data-embed-button=\"media_entity_embed\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.media_750_x_500\" data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"571fdd86-5162-43dc-99f5-8777f71a5aad\" data-langcode=\"en\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden\">\n<div class=\"field--item\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-responsive ls-is-cached lazyloaded\" title=\"10facts-humpback-whale.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/s3\/\/styles\/media_750_x500\/s3\/dam-migration\/10facts-humpback-whale.jpg?itok=P6FA4X2Y\" alt=\"10facts-humpback-whale.jpg\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" data-src=\"\/s3\/\/styles\/media_750_x500\/s3\/dam-migration\/10facts-humpback-whale.jpg?itok=P6FA4X2Y\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>2. Massive Marine Mammals<\/h3>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/blue-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">blue whale<\/a>\u00a0is the largest animal that ever lived and can grow to 90 or more feet and weigh as much as 24 elephants! That\u2019s more than 330,000 pounds (150,000 kg).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_y8StwsOrzosa.jpg?1505829725\" alt=\"Blue whale\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_y8StwsOrzosa.jpg?1505829725\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>3. Long-living Creatures<\/h3>\n<p>Some species of whales are among the longest lived mammals. Scientists estimate\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/bowhead-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bowhead whales<\/a>\u00a0(a baleen whale found in the Arctic) can live for more than 200 years, and killer whales (a toothed whale found in various habitats worldwide) can live for more than 100 years.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_wEgdYU5SVG0j.jpg?1505830038\" alt=\"Bowhead whale\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_wEgdYU5SVG0j.jpg?1505830038\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>4. Some Whales are Very Social<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/killer-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Killer whales<\/a> are highly social and often travel in groups that are matrifocal \u2014 a family unit focused or centered on the mother<strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0Learn more about the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/killer-whale#spotlight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Southern Resident killer whale<\/a>, a NOAA Fisheries Species in the Spotlight.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_JLX3pcMKJsKL.jpg?1505830089\" alt=\"Killer whales\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_JLX3pcMKJsKL.jpg?1505830089\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>5. &#8220;Canaries of the Sea&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>Beluga whales\u00a0have flexible necks, allowing them to move their heads. Their complex communication repertoire of whistles, clicks, and chirps has prompted the nickname \u201ccanaries of the sea.\u201d Learn more about the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/beluga-whale#spotlight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cook Inlet beluga whale<\/a>, a NOAA Fisheries Species in the Spotlight.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_pZP3DPXA0aw4.jpg?1505830153\" alt=\"Beluga whales\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_pZP3DPXA0aw4.jpg?1505830153\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>6. Long Annual Migrations<\/h3>\n<p>Gray whales\u00a0make one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal: they travel about 10,000 miles (16,000 km) round trip!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_XbgmPEqMc5x7.jpg?1505830191\" alt=\"Gray whales\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_XbgmPEqMc5x7.jpg?1505830191\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>7. Smallest Baleen Whale in North American Waters<\/h3>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/minke-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">minke whale<\/a>\u00a0is the smallest baleen whale in North American waters.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_Zc9urP6gVdzM.jpg?1505830270\" alt=\"Minke whale fin\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_Zc9urP6gVdzM.jpg?1505830270\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>8. Gatherers of Small Organisms<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/north-atlantic-right-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">North Atlantic right whales<\/a>\u00a0gather small organisms near the water surface, straining seawater with their long baleen plates. The whales\u2019 surface feeding behavior and buoyancy make them vulnerable to collisions.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_ARG5l7PZQdoE.jpg?1505830300\" alt=\"North Atlantic right whale\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_ARG5l7PZQdoE.jpg?1505830300\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>9. Oil in Sperm Whale Heads<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/sperm-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sperm whales<\/a>\u00a0were almost driven to extinction by commercial whalers who sought the whales\u2019 blubber and the unique oil derived from the \u201cspermaceti organ\u201d found in their massive heads. The spermaceti organ is a key part of their echolocation system.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_19WAqMxmJ1dE.jpg?1505830341\" alt=\"Sperm whale\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_19WAqMxmJ1dE.jpg?1505830341\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>10. Deepest Dive<\/h3>\n<p>In 2014, a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/species\/cuviers-beaked-whale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cuvier\u2019s beaked whale<\/a>\u00a0made the deepest and longest dive ever recorded for a cetacean when it reached a depth of 1.9 miles (2,992 m) and stayed submerged for more than 2 hours.<\/p>\n<p><em>[<a href=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_2u89vtDJqKaP.jpg?1505830395\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">click here for file photo: media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/dam-migration-miss\/md_2u89vtDJqKaP.jpg?1505830395<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"article__updated article__updated--news\">\n<div class=\"last-updated\">\n<div class=\"last-updated__message\">\n<p class=\"text--small caption last-updated\"><em>Last updated by <a class=\"office-vocab__item\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/about\/office-communications\">[NOAA Fisheries] Office of Communications<\/a> on April 25, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[originally appeared 1.13.20 at fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/10-wonderful-whale-facts; last updated by NOAA Fisheries Office of Communications 4.25.23] How much do you know about[&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[175,151,3,419],"tags":[424,421,328],"class_list":["post-1761","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","category-featured","category-headlines","category-whales","tag-environment","tag-whales","tag-wildlife"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - 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