This is the reason why whales are not fish

 

We have always referred to whales as fish, i.e. “whales”, even though they are actually mammals. Whales and other members of the cetacean order, such as dolphins and porpoises, are mammals, although they live entirely in water. This is because they have the main characteristics or characteristics of mammals, so here are the characteristics of mammals possessed by whales, lets go

1. Hot blooded

Whales have a layer of fat under the skin that helps maintain body temperature. To generate heat, whales also swim and digest food. This hot body temperature helps whales to be able to migrate and live in a variety of waters, from very cold as in the poles to warm as in the tropics.

2. Childbirth and breastfeeding

Unlike fish that lay eggs, whales give birth to their young after nine to 15 months of pregnancy. After birth, these cubs then drink the milk produced by the mammary glands of the female whale for a year. During this time, the mother teaches her young where to find food and breed, and how to protect themselves from predators.

3 .Breathing oxygen

Since childhood we have been taught that fish breathe using gills. Well, whales don't breathe using gills, but lungs. Yes, you read it right. Whales have lungs and they breathe through holes in their skulls when out of water. To note, some species of whales can stay underwater for up to 90 minutes, although the majority can only hold their breath for 20 minutes.

4. Have hair

Not many know, but whales have hair, at least once in their lives. The majority of species lose their hair before birth, but some are able to retain hair on the head area or around their mouth. Humpback whales, for example, have bumps on their heads that appear to be hair follicles. This is why some adult humpback whales have hair coming out of the humpbacks.

5. Have hard bones

Whale skulls, like most cetaceans, are made of hard bone through which blood passes. This is the opposite of a fish whose skull is made of cartilage which is thin, flexible and can float in water.

6. How to swim

If you still can't accept that whales are not fish, watch how they swim. Fish generally swim forward by moving their tail sideways, but whales arch their backs and move their legs up and down to swim forward.

 

Berbagi :