April 22, 2025
Science

Why are whales so big compared to other sea animals?

  • December 1, 2024
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Whales are the largest animals that have ever lived. Some species of blue whales Up to 29 meters long and 115 tons heavy can achieve. No other animal

Why are whales so big compared to other sea animals?

Whales are the largest animals that have ever lived. Some species of blue whales Up to 29 meters long and 115 tons heavy can achieve.

No other animal has reached this level; even dinosaurs. In this case the following comes to mind: What makes whales so special?

The biggest reason for whales’ enormous size is their diet.

whale size

The first whale species to feed on plankton “filter feeding method” evolved. They ate small sea creatures that floated in the ocean. Later, ‘rorqual’ whales developed a feeding strategy by attacking. So they started eating small fish.

Attack strategy with their big mouths (hence their big bodies), It provided many more benefits than feeding with small mouths.

This way of eating is as follows:

whale feeding

They open their mouths greatly and ingest small crustaceans called krill along with water. As they push water out of their mouths, the krill become trapped in the whale’s filter-like structures called “baleens.” These whalebones, while water can escape This allows the blue whale to obtain food by holding the krill in its mouth.

Maximum calories with minimum energy expenditure They get it. Fast and efficient nutrition without wasting energy supports a large body mass.

Adaptation to cold water also has an effect.

whale

The enormous size of whales, allowing them to survive in cold ocean water an adjustment. Thick layers of fat, called blubber, retain body heat and allow them to survive in cold water with minimal heat loss.

This way it saves energy and is supplied with high efficiency. to long migration journeys They can store energy.

The environmental conditions are favorable.

While land animals are subject to the constraints of gravity, whales can reach large sizes by taking advantage of the buoyancy of water. Moreover, as we mentioned above, it can be easily eaten thanks to food sources such as krill swarms that exist in high densities in the oceans. large amount of nutrients they consume. Due to this abundant food source and unlimited space, we should not be surprised by these sizes.

“Why don’t other sea creatures grow as big?” If you ask: whales It’s a mammal, not a fish We would like to remind you.

Source: Scientific American

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Source: Web Tekno

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