Fin whales are also called the Finback whale as well as the Razorback, it is a larger marine mammal that belongs to a suborder of Baleen whales. It is one of the biggest marine mammals second to only the blue whale.
These whales are discovered in every major ocean, differing from polar to tropical waters. These whales are only found to be absent in waters near the ice pack at the poles and small areas of water away from the open ocean. The highest population density is seen in temperate and cool waters.
A Fin whales food consists of small schooling fish, squid, and crustaceans including copepods and krill.
Like the majority of big whales, the fin whale has been extremely hunted in the 20th century and is actually an endangered species.
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More than 725,000 fin whales have been reported to have been snagged from the Southern Hemisphere, around the years of 1905 and 1976, and of 1997 survived by only 38,000, although Iceland and Japan have continued hunting. The species is also being killed by Greenlanders under the International Whaling Comissions provisions. The global estimates for population are ranging from less than 100,000 to harshly 119,000. Fin whales are rorquals, members of the family Balaenopteridae, which also includes the humpback whale, the Blue whale, Bryde's whale, the Sei whale, and the Minke whales.
New DNA evidence is showing that the fin whale may be very closely related to the humpback whale, but because of one study it also suggest that the Fin whale is also related to the Grey whale. In around 2006, two subspecies got named, both possessing particular physical features and vocalizations. First was the northern fin whale, B. p. physalus which inhabits the North Atlantic, and the second was the southern fin whale, B. p. quoyi which occupies the Southern …show more content…
Ocean. The fin whales color varies from a brown like to grayish dorsally and a white ventrally. The left side of the head is dark gray, while the right side exhibits a complex pattern of differing light and dark markings. On the lower right jaw is a white or light gray "right mandible patch", which usually reaches out as a light "blaze" laterally and dorsally on to the upper jaw and back to a bit in back of the blowholes. Two thin dark stripes start from the eye and ear, then they widen into a larger dark portion upon the upper shoulder. Mating occurs in temperate, low-latitude seas during the winter, followed by an 11- to 12-month gestation. The fin whale is one of the fastest cetaceans. Fin whales are more gregarious than other rorquals, and often live in groups of 6–10, although feeding groups may reach up to 100 animals. Like many large rorquals, the fin whale is a cosmopolitan species. It is found in all the world's major oceans and in waters ranging from the polar to the tropical. It is absent only from waters close to the ice pack at both the north and south extremities and relatively small areas of water away from the large oceans, such as the Red Sea and the Baltic Sea. The highest population density occurs in temperate and cool waters. Very small amounts of information have been revealed about the ecology of the now movement from Antarctic waters are unknown, but small increases in sighting rates are being confirmed off New Zealand, such as off Kaikoura, also the winter lands may be further north possibly in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and the coast of East Timor.
The fin whale is a filter-feeder, it feeds on small schooling fish, squid and small crustaceans including copepods and krill.
In the 19th century, the fin whale was many times hunted by open-boat whalers, but it was actually safe because of its speed and it many times would sink after killed. But then steam-powered boats and harpoons that exploded on contact were introduced and made it possible to kill and stick, this happened along with Blue and Sei whales on a huge scale
The International Whaling Commission banned hunting in the Southern Hemisphere in 1976. The Fin whale was granted full protection by the IWC for commercial whaling.
Not only humpback, minkes, sperm, and many other smaller “Protected species” meats can also be found in markets even today they are mostly "byproducts" of entanglements, and one case scientifically revealed that at least some humpbacks with other species were illegally hunted in EEZ of antiwhaling nations such as off Mexico or South
Africa. Collisions with ships are a major cause of mortality. In some areas, they cause a substantial portion of whales being stranded. Most serious injuries are caused by large, quick moving ships over or near continental shelves.
Robert L. Pitman. "Whalewatcher: Killer Whale: The top, top Predator ." Journal of the American Cetacean Society (2011): 2. Journal.
When an intelligent animal accustomed to swimming in thousands of miles of open ocean is placed in an environment only twice its size, is separated from its species, and is forced to perform tricks, there are bound to be consequences. The captivity of these animals should be banned and National Reserves and whale tours should be used to educate the public while admiring these animals' true beauty. There are few experiences more meaningful than witnessing a killer whale enjoying the freedom of the open ocean.
Commercial whaling has essentially seized on the clear claims of such, but Japan and other nations are ever so slightly getting closer to that boundary. “We should remember in our dealings with animals that they are a sacred trust to us.
These villages are still able to fish for food and trade materials. I am skeptical of arguments that small villages rely on whale meat for food because until relatively recently, the meat would spoil too quickly. Even today most countries, except for Japan, avoid whale meat. Advancements in the 19th and 20th centuries have rendered most of the products created by whales obsolete, such as petroleum, vegetable oil, steel-boned corsets and gas lamps (Encyclopedia Britannica,
These two types typically avoid each other at all costs. In the wild, orcas are predators, meaning they hunt down their food. The whole species has varied diets, depending on which region of the world they come from. “Resident whales feed on fish and squid. Transients feed on seals, sea lions, porpoises, and baleen whales” (Francis).
Shirihai, H. and B. Jarrett (2006). Whales, Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals of the World. Princeton, Princeton University Press. p.185-188.
The book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick, is an inspiring story about an Essex from Nantucket, getting attacked by a eighty-five ton sperm whale miles deep out in the ocean. In these times, going on any ocean expedition had its precautions. While much focus on food, drinking water, medication and a method to cure illness, the most overlooked impairment was the creatures of the ocean. While the men of this vessel left the docks as predators, the survivors of the ninety- three-day journey on three small harpoon boats came back as prey. This story gives a great depiction of the potential of the sperm whale as well as the devastation that they can bring.
In 2000, Dr. Philip D. Gingerich, a paleontologist from the University of Michigan, and his associates discovered two primitive whale fossils in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. By dating the limestone located in the Habib Rahi Formation of the Balochistan Province, Gingerich estimated these fossils to be about 47 million years old. According to author David Braun of National Geographic News, “The researchers have classified one, Rodhocetus balochistanensis, as a new species of an existing genus, and the other, Artiocetus clavis, as a new species and new genus” (Braun, 5). The discovery of these two fossils suggests that the closest living relative of these primitive whales could possibly be the modern day hippopotamus. This suggested relationship is based on similarities in the bone structure between the two animals.
Blue whales tend to feed on krills in cold water at high latitudes during the summer time (WWF). On other hand during
Dorsal fin is when the orca's fin flips to the side instead of standing upright. They suffer from it because they receive less hydration from the frozen-thawed fish they are given in marine parks (One Green Planet). They get better fresh fish in the wild compared to the park they live in. They also suffer from it because it’s believed that captive whales experience it because they spend much more time at the water’s surface because they in the same direction in the pool (One Green Planet). Unlike in the wild, where they have a much bigger space to
Some people think that the captivity is beneficial for whales for a few reasons, but the captivity has more consequences than benefits.
The Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, is part of the marine mammals group. They are found in oceans all over the world, they live in open waters. Even though they are mammals, they do not live on land (Monterey Bay Aquarium). Humpback whales are known for their magical song that can travel great distances. These gentle giants are omnivores, their main diet is krill. They are mostly found near coastlines feeding on tiny shrimp-like krill, plankton and small fish. Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding water closer to the Equator. Humpback whales are powerful swimmers, and they use their massive tail fin, called a fluke to propel themselves through or even out of the water! Mothers and their young swim close together, often touching one another with their flippers with what appears to be gestures of affection. Even though it takes more than one year for a humpback whale to grow fully, mother whales leave them after one year (National Geographic).
The morphology of whale sharks is mostly similar to aquatic fish species, but many specific traits help differentiate them from the rest. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world and can reach a size of around 20 meters (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). This is often compared to the size of a school bus. The shark has a very large transverse mouth. They have 5 very large gill slits and have a larger first dorsal fin compared to the second one (Whale Shark). They have a distinctive spotted “checkerboard” pattern with stripes (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). It is not exactly known why they have this specific body marking. It is believed that the body markings act as a camouflage. The strange thing about whale sharks is that they have 300 rows of teeth that play no role in feeding (Martins, C., and C. Knickle).
Long and slender, the blue whale's body can be various shades of bluish-grey dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath.[7] There are at least three distinct subspecies: B. m. musculus of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, B. m. intermedia of the Southern Ocean and B. m. brevicauda (also known as the pygmy blue whale) found in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean. B. m. indica, found in the Indian Ocean, may be
Did you know in the world there are more than 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises? (WDC) The dolphin is a very important animal to the ocean and there are many different types to discover. In order to learn about dolphins, it is important to discuss where they live, their appearance, and what they eat. Some helpful words to understand are “dorsal fin”, a dorsal fin is the top pointed fin on the dolphins back, “flippers”, a flipper is a flat fin that dolphins use to swim, and “echolocation” is a tool dolphins use to find food by sounds bouncing off of objects (dictionary.com).