mammals

NATIONAL DOLPHIN DAY!

It’s National Dolphin Day! We’ve got some fun facts and pictures for you to celebrate!

Dolphin Fun Facts:

• There are 42 species of dolphins in the world; 38 live in oceans and 4 live in freshwater rivers.
• All dolphins are carnivores. Some species can eat up 30 lbs of fish a day.
• They have a two to three chambered stomachs. Most of the chambers store food and one digests their food.
• Dolphins use echolocation to locate prey and communication with each other. The melon is a fatty rich structure on their heads that help them with echolocation.

• Their communication includes clicks and whistles.
• Dolphin communication can be very complicated and scientists know that dolphins even name each other.
• Like all mammals, dolphins have hair. They are born with a few chin hairs that fall out as they grow older.
• Dolphins can swim up 25 miles per hour.

• Dolphins are highly social and live in groups called pods.
• They are considered to be highly intelligent too.
• Dolphins are obligate breathers. They must think to breathe. They use their blowholes to breathe.
• Dolphins sleep with one 1/2 of their brain asleep, so they can continue to breathe.

Dolphins are fascinating creatures. There is much that scientists don’t know about their complex behavior and groups! We think they are just fantastic! Learn how to draw a dolphin here in our video!

THAT IS ONE BIG DOLPHIN!

It’s time to meet one of the oceans most iconic animals! These black and white predators are known around the world and today you are going to learn more about them along with us!

• Orcas live in oceans all around the world.

• They can grow up to 32 ft long and weigh up to 6 tons. That is the average weight of an adult male elephant!
• Orcas are carnivores. They eat fish, seals, squid and even other whales.
• They are listed as data deficient by the IUCN.
• Orcas are also known as killer whales.

• Scientists believe that orcas will eventually be split in to either subspecies or different species. There are orcas that stay in one location all year round (resident). There are orcas that live in smaller groups that travel where the food is abundant (transient). And there are orcas that hunt mainly very far from shore (offshore).
• These carnivores live in pods and often hunt together as a group.

• Orcas have earned the nickname wolves of the sea, because of their group hunting techniques.
• They can swim up to 33 mph!
• Orcas have up to a 4″ layer of blubber to help keep them warm in cold waters.
• Their teeth are 4″ long! Watch out for those chompers!
• Orcas, like other toothed dolphins and whales, use echolocation to detect prey.
• They are highly vocal. Pods are known to have their own unique language, dialect and culture. Scientists say the orcas’ dialects are very distinctive, like humans from the United Kingdom vs humans from Scotland.

• They have the 2nd heaviest brain of any marine mammal- our friend the sperm whale has the heaviest!

Orcas are super cool! They are highly social and intelligent! Cultures around the world have told myths and stories of the killer whales for centuries. The Kwakwaka’wakw people believed that orcas were the rulers of the seas and sea lions were their slaves! Wow!

LITERARY WHALE!

We’re super excited to meet some cetaceans this week! Edmond even put on his snorkel gear to get closer to these great animals! Today we meet a whale made famous in the book Moby Dick!

• Sperm whales are found in oceans all around the world.
• Sperm whales are toothed whales and carnivores. They eat fish and squid!
• Sperm whales are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.
• Sperm whales can grow up to 59 feet long and weigh up to 45 tons. They are longer than a school bus! 
• Sperm whales are in fact the largest of the toothed whales!
• Sperm whales are known to battle and sometimes eat giant squid. Scientists have even observed squid suction cup wounds and scares.
• Sperm whales are very vocal and they use echolocation to help them find prey.

• Sperm whales are known to dive to very deep depths- as deep as 3,200 feet down.
• Their large squarish shaped heads are filled with a substance called spermaceti. Scientists are still unsure of it’s exact use, but they think it helps the whale maintain its buoyancy when it dives to deep depths.
• These amazing whales can hold their breath for up to 90 minutes.
• Female sperm whales live in pods in warmer waters all year round. They raise their young together.

• Sperm whales may be one of the best known species of whales on earth. The book “Moby Dick” is the story of the struggle with a famed white sperm whale and a whaler.

We love these giants of the deep! They are such amazing creatures. Many cultures in the South Pacific revere their teeth as sacred. We have a sperm whale coloring sheet for you too!

We Have the Right Whale

This week we’re meeting some plankton eaters! And today we’re meeting a whale that winters off the Georgia coast! In fact they are our state marine mammal! Woohoo! Let’s learn some cool stuff about these giants of the ocean!

Right whale fun facts:

• Right whales are divided into two species, the Northern and the Southern. We’re meeting the North Atlantic right whale today!
• These whales inhabit the ocean waters of the coast of North America.

• North Atlantic right whales grow up to 52 feet in length and weigh up to 70 tons! Wow!
• North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered. There are around 400 of these amazing creatures left.
• These baleen whales are carnivores. They feed on plankton like krill. They skim these tiny prey from the water using their baleen.
• They feed generally in spring through fall in the cold waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean near Canada.

• Female north Atlantic right whales are larger than the males.
• Females migrate to the waters off of Georgia and Florida to calve. They have one baby at a time.
• Northern right whales are slow swimmers and tend to stay near the surface.
• They are often in danger of boat strikes. In their protected habitats, boats must keep slow speeds.
• Scientist believe these giants live up to 50 years and maybe even up to 100 years.
• There are great conservation efforts going on to protect these whales. They are one of the most endangered whale in the ocean today. Fortunately they have been protect since the 1930s, but recovery has been slow. You can learn more about those efforts from the NOAA website on them.

Protecting the earth’s creatures and the habitats we share starts with all of us. These whales along with other ocean dwelling animals can be found with plastic in their stomachs. Make sure your plastic goods go into a recycling bin and never into wild habitats! Let’s do it for the Right Whale!