whale

Whales

Whales are remarkable for several reasons, making them a study in various fields such as marine biology, conservation, and even cultural studies.

Atlantean's whales and dolphins

Here are some of the aspects that make whales special:

Whales include some of the largest animals to have ever lived on Earth.

The blue whale, in particular, is the largest animal known, reaching lengths of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and weights of approximately 200 tons.

Some whale species, like the sperm whale, can dive to great depths of over 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) for hunting their prey, such as giant squids.

Whales are known for their long migratory journeys, with some species traveling thousands of miles between their feeding and breeding grounds.

Many whale species exhibit complex social behaviors, forming long-lasting relationships within their pods.

Whales show signs of high intelligence, including problem-solving skills, self-awareness, and the ability to learn and teach behaviors within their social groups.

Whales play a crucial role in their marine ecosystems.

Additionally, when whales die and their bodies sink to the ocean floor, they provide ecosystems for deep-sea creatures.

Whales have been central to the culture and economy of many indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

Am I a sea, or a whale, That thou settest a watch over me?

for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

Scientists have uncovered the fossilized remains of a prehistoric whale, named Perucetus colossus, in a Peruvian desert, which might have been the heaviest animal ever, potentially outweighing even the massive blue whale.

This discovery challenges existing records, with the skeleton estimated to be two to three times heavier than that of a blue whale, which can weigh up to 165 tons.

The study, published in Nature on August 2, 2023, involved a decade-long excavation led by paleontologists Mario Urbina and Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, among others, unearthing 13 vertebrae, four ribs, and part of a hip from the colossal whale.

The bones of Perucetus colossus, nearly 40 million years old, provide insight into an era shortly before the evolutionary divergence of toothed and baleen whales.

The ongoing research and eventual display of the skeleton at the Natural History Museum in Lima, Peru, highlight the significance of this find in understanding whale evolution and the diversity of prehistoric marine life.