The Biology of WhalesThe biology of whales and dolphins are different from fish in many ways. Whales are marine mammals.They breath with lungs and not with gills like fish do. That is why they have to swim to the water surface regularly. Whales have horizontal flukes (tails) whereas fish have vertical tail fins. Whales do not lay hundreds or thousands of eggs like fish. They are viviparous and give birth to usually one calve which is nursed for several months.(Viviparous is when an animal produces their young in a way that doesn't include eggs ).
Sperm whale fluke
Whales have fins instead of forelegs and the hind limbs are completely absent. Whales do not have fur and the skin is much smoother than that of terrestrial mammals. Cetacea also have more efficient systems to store oxygen which enables them to dive for long times. If you like to read more details about the biology of these animals click on the links below. The anatomy of whales : you can learn about the specializations of whales concerning the skeleton and organs. You can learn how long whales can dive for, how they hear and how long their penis can be. Acoustics/Vocalizations you can read about the different types of whale sounds and how they are used. If you want to know what a sound gun is and why the beluga is called canary of the ocean. Behavior find answers to questions like: Why do whales breach/jump? What is logging? How do they find enough food for a 60 tonnes being? coming soon Experience the natural beauty that is 'Eua Island Tonga. 'Eua's Trekking and hiking are said to be some of the best in the south pacific and whale watching can be experienced from land and sea and now with whale swimming 'Eua island, It's warmth is surpassed only by it's people.
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