• Question: Whats a whale

    Asked by br4dboy2k12 to Carol, Ellie, John, Philip, Rebecca on 22 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Carol White

      Carol White answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      A whale is a huge ocean animal with some very specific features….

      It’s a mammal like us – so it has a hairy body, warm blood, four chambers in it’s heart, just one jaw bone, sweats and has glands for feeding young (in female whales only of course!)

      Most people don’t realise that whales can only breathe air – which means they have to come to the surface of the ocean to breathe. But unlike most animals (including me and you!) whales can choose when they breathe. Incredibly, some species can stay underwater without breathing for nearly an hour!

      Check out a news article about the way whales communicate across the whole world: http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9457000/9457855.stm

      They’re seriously cool sea creatures – the biggest animal to have ever lived is the blue whale!

Comments