The collective noun for a group of whales is called a Pod. Whales are the biggest animals to ever live. The giant blue whale is the largest whale and it can measure up to lengths of 90-100 feet. It can weigh around 120-150 tons. The finback whale which is a common sight is the second largest animal that has ever appeared on earth.
Although whales have been widely classed as predators, they feed on a variety of food from microscopic plankton to extremely large fish. The term for a male whale is a bull while females are called cows. Their young are called calves.
It is interesting to note that like all mammals, whales too sleep. However, they cannot fall slumber for too long, because they have to necessarily be conscious in order to be able to breathe. Whales are conscious breathers. It is believed that they are able to sleep since only one hemisphere of a whale's brain sleeps at a time. Thus the whale is never wholly asleep, but at the same time is able to get its much needed rest. It is thought that they sleep for about 8 hours a day.
Although whales have been widely classed as predators, they feed on a variety of food from microscopic plankton to extremely large fish. The term for a male whale is a bull while females are called cows. Their young are called calves.
It is interesting to note that like all mammals, whales too sleep. However, they cannot fall slumber for too long, because they have to necessarily be conscious in order to be able to breathe. Whales are conscious breathers. It is believed that they are able to sleep since only one hemisphere of a whale's brain sleeps at a time. Thus the whale is never wholly asleep, but at the same time is able to get its much needed rest. It is thought that they sleep for about 8 hours a day.
