Whales are Mammals

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Did you know there are at least eighty

different kinds of whales? Whales are a

part of a larger group of animals called

mammals. Mammals share some common

characteristics. One characteristic of

mammals is they have hair or fur. We don’t

think of whales as being furry, but they do

actually have some hair on their bodies.

Another characteristic of mammals is they

nurse milk from their mother as babies.

Mammals breathe air with lungs. Whales

have a blowhole just like you have nostrils!

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Structure & Function of Whales

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Whales are well adapted to live in the ocean.

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Tail Flukes

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A whale uses tail flukes to propel itself

through the water. The tail flukes go in an up

and down motion, unlike a fish’s tail, which

goes side to side.

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Flippers

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A whale uses flippers to help steer and

move in different directions. The flippers are

like the whale’s steering wheel.

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Dorsal Fin

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The dorsal fin also helps the whale

maneuver through the ocean. In addition, the

dorsal fin is used by scientists to help identify

certain whales in a pod.

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Melon

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If you look closely at the head of an Orca

whale you will notice it’s melon. The melon

is the part of the whale’s head that is filled

with a type of oily substance. Scientists

believe that this oil plays a role in how

whales use echolocation to locate food.

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Blowhole

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Like all mammals, whales breathe air using

their lungs. For this they have a small hole

on the top of their head. We call this hole a

blowhole.

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