Whales: Biological characteristics and conservation threats

Whales are large marine mammals categorized into two primary groups: baleen whales and toothed whales. Baleen whales, such as blue and humpback whales, use flexible plates to filter small organisms like krill from the water. Toothed whales, including orcas and sperm whales, hunt prey like fish and squid, often utilizing echolocation to navigate and hunt.

These warm-blooded animals rely on a thick layer of blubber for insulation and energy storage. They are known for complex communication methods, including clicks, whistles, and songs, and many species undertake massive annual migrations between nutrient-rich feeding grounds and warmer breeding waters.

While commercial hunting previously caused significant population declines, modern threats to whales include pollution, underwater noise, ship collisions, fishing gear entanglement, and shifting ocean ecosystems.