Few things are more relaxing than floating in a pool, hearing the sound of water, and resting your eyes for just a little while. For whales and dolphins, however, sleeping in the water is a bit more complicated. Indeed, whales do not have the luxury of floating on pool beds, and the sea is pretty […]
Whales sleep with half their brain to avoid drowning Read More »
Have you ever looked at a seal or a sea lion and wondered about their voluptuous whiskers? Those fine hairs, called whiskers or vibrissae, have a crucial role in their lives. Studies have shown that blindfolded captive harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) can easily follow other seals underwater, using only their whiskers. Yet, that was just
Seals “see” and hunt fish with their whiskers Read More »
Whales, dolphins, and porpoise occupy a wide variety of habitats. They range from the small harbor porpoise found in shallow coastal waters to massive sperm whales diving below 1000 meters to catch the perfect squid! The underwater world can be like a labyrinth, and at times can have limited visibility-, especially below 200m, in the
Echolocation 101: How dolphins see with sound Read More »
When we think about molting, the most familiar example we can think of is the snake “shedding its skin” and replacing it with a new one. However, did you know that also mammals shed something? Mammals shed their fur. Pinnipeds, such as seals, otariids, and walruses, belong to this category of fur shedding mammals. Once
Seals molt every year to keep their fur healthy Read More »
Whales can adapt to seasonal and environmental conditions. But they are not working alone… They, just like us, team up with a vast army of microscopic soldiers every day called the microbiome. Different microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, make up the whale’s microbiome. We can take a look at the composition of whales’ microbiomes
New Research Suggests Fasting Could Impact Humpback Whales’ Respiratory Health Read More »
What do middle-aged women and whales have in common? Perhaps the unexpected answer is … menopause. Although they don’t have to suffer through hot flashes and mood swings, several whale species stop getting pregnant midway through life. So-called post-reproductive lifespans have puzzled biologists for years. After all, evolutionary theory taught us that the whole purpose
The Mystery of Menopausal Whales Read More »
Whales spend their entire lives in the ocean. Their bodies are completely adapted to life in the water. Among amazing evolutionary features, whales’ noses (called blowholes) moved to the top of their head so they can breathe easily without having to put their heads out of the water (check our post on blowholes for more
Do whales drink seawater? Read More »
