Whales(Page 2)

These massive aquatic mammals are the largest animals on the planet. Dive deep into the latest research on whale anatomy, songs, social dynamics, habitat, populations, and more.

Latest in Whales

The truth behind animal resistance memes

The truth behind animal resistance memes The truth behind animal resistance memes

By Alexandra Isfahani-Hammond / The Conversation

An illustration of an ancient whale against a sea-blue background.

This tiny, 8-foot long whale swam off Egypt’s coast 41 million years ago This tiny, 8-foot long whale swam off Egypt’s coast 41 million years ago

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

An artist's rendition of the Perucetus colossus.

This giant sea cow-like whale may have been the heaviest creature to ever live on Earth This giant sea cow-like whale may have been the heaviest creature to ever live on Earth

By Sara Kiley Watson

Bull elk in the wilderness

Like whales and bats, elk have regional dialects Like whales and bats, elk have regional dialects

By Kylie Mohr / High Country News

Ocean waves crashing.

How climate change is pushing oxygen out of the world’s oceans How climate change is pushing oxygen out of the world’s oceans

By Carla Delgado

wall of taxidermy animals and skeletons

Humans are dangerous predators because we love collecting weird animals Humans are dangerous predators because we love collecting weird animals

By Emily Harwitz / Hakai Magazine

An artist’s reconstruction of Olympicetus thalassodon pursuing a school of fishes alongside plotopterid birds (background) somewhere in the eastern North Pacific Ocean.

This dolphin ancestor looked like a cross between Flipper and Moby Dick This dolphin ancestor looked like a cross between Flipper and Moby Dick

By Laura Baisas

Orca whale pod off Iberian coast from the subpopulation of orcas attacking sailboats in Europe

Orcas are attacking boats. But is it revenge or trauma? Orcas are attacking boats. But is it revenge or trauma?

Dolphins use echolocation to find fish and navigate in the dark sea.

How echolocation lets bats, dolphins, and even people navigate by sound How echolocation lets bats, dolphins, and even people navigate by sound

These whales might follow their noses to their next snack in the surf

These whales might follow their noses to their next snack in the surf These whales might follow their noses to their next snack in the surf

By Elizabeth Preston/Hakai Magazine

Turf wars between whales and crabbers have increased due to climate change

Turf wars between whales and crabbers have increased due to climate change Turf wars between whales and crabbers have increased due to climate change

By Jesse Kathan / Hakai Magazine

Lolita the killer whale performing its 40th anniversary performance at Miami Seaquarium.

After 50 years in captivity, Lolita the orca may be freed After 50 years in captivity, Lolita the orca may be freed

By Laura Baisas

Critically endangered right whales are losing the battle against fishing boats

Critically endangered right whales are losing the battle against fishing boats Critically endangered right whales are losing the battle against fishing boats

By Darren Incorvaia/Undark

Two orca whales, one with it's head and flukes above the water and the other with its nose out of the water.

Toothed whales turned their vocal fry into a hunting superpower Toothed whales turned their vocal fry into a hunting superpower

By Laura Baisas

An adult humpback whale surfaces above the water in eastern Australia.

A group of humpback whales is choosing violence A group of humpback whales is choosing violence

By Laura Baisas

Two orca whales swim in the ocean with mountains in the distance.

Raising male offspring comes at a high price for orca mothers Raising male offspring comes at a high price for orca mothers

By Laura Baisas

An illustration of adult and young of the ichthyosaur species (Shonisaurus popularis) chasing ammonoid prey 230 million years ago, in what is now Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada.

Millions of years ago, marine reptiles may have used Nevada as a birthing ground Millions of years ago, marine reptiles may have used Nevada as a birthing ground

By Laura Baisas

As belugas disappear, so does irreplaceable cultural knowledge

As belugas disappear, so does irreplaceable cultural knowledge As belugas disappear, so does irreplaceable cultural knowledge

By Saima May Sidik / Undark

Noise pollution messes with beluga whales’ travel plans

Noise pollution messes with beluga whales’ travel plans Noise pollution messes with beluga whales’ travel plans

By Emily Harwitz / Hakai Magazine

These now-extinct whales were kind of like manatees These now-extinct whales were kind of like manatees

By Laura Baisas

How do blue whales find food? They check the weather.

How do blue whales find food? They check the weather. How do blue whales find food? They check the weather.

By Laura Baisas

Shearwater on the ocean.

Seabirds can be the bread crumbs for tracking elusive whales Seabirds can be the bread crumbs for tracking elusive whales

By Brynn Pedrick / Hakai Magazine

This whale fossil could reveal evidence of a 15-million-year-old megalodon attack

This whale fossil could reveal evidence of a 15-million-year-old megalodon attack This whale fossil could reveal evidence of a 15-million-year-old megalodon attack

By Laura Baisas

A blue whale near Sri Lanka and a container ship.

World’s largest shipping company reroutes ships to protect world’s largest animals World’s largest shipping company reroutes ships to protect world’s largest animals

By Laura Baisas

A cooked lobster claw.

Eating sustainably may mean skipping the lobster for now Eating sustainably may mean skipping the lobster for now

By Laura Baisas

Tropical Fish on a coral reef and Doublebar bream.

For marine life to survive, we must cut carbon emissions For marine life to survive, we must cut carbon emissions

By Laura Baisas

Baby orca next to adult in the Salish Sea near Washington

A baby orca sparks a glimmer of hope for an endangered group of whales A baby orca sparks a glimmer of hope for an endangered group of whales

fin-whales-drake-passage

An Antarctic feeding frenzy means good news for vulnerable fin whales An Antarctic feeding frenzy means good news for vulnerable fin whales

By Corinne Iozzio

a sperm whale swimming under water

Megalodons liked to snack on sperm whale snouts Megalodons liked to snack on sperm whale snouts

By Rachel Feltman

A photo of a humpback whale and her calf.

Boat noise is driving humpback whale moms into deep, dangerous water Boat noise is driving humpback whale moms into deep, dangerous water

By Marina Wang / Hakai Magazine

robotic buoy floating in ocean

Whale-monitoring robots are oceanic eavesdroppers with a mission Whale-monitoring robots are oceanic eavesdroppers with a mission

By Charlotte Hu

Orca whale pod in a line in the ocean while hunting

Even blue whales aren’t safe from orcas Even blue whales aren’t safe from orcas

By Purbita Saha

a humpback whale breaching the surface of the water with its mouth open

Baleen whales have an ‘oral plug’ to help them guzzle down food without choking Baleen whales have an ‘oral plug’ to help them guzzle down food without choking

By Kate Baggaley

an illustration of a marine reptile

These ancient marine reptiles got very big, very fast These ancient marine reptiles got very big, very fast

By Kate Baggaley

Biologists vastly underestimated how much whales eat and poop

Biologists vastly underestimated how much whales eat and poop Biologists vastly underestimated how much whales eat and poop

By Philip Kiefer

As El Niño years get worse, right whales suffer As El Niño years get worse, right whales suffer

By Margo Milanowski

A humpback whale breaches water and hangs in mid-air, in front of forested cliffs.

A rare humpback whale ‘megapod’ was spotted snacking off the Australian coast A rare humpback whale ‘megapod’ was spotted snacking off the Australian coast

Mother and baby killer whale swimming in ocean with mountains in the background.

These killer whales go through menopause These killer whales go through menopause

Drones revealed the intricate social lives of these killer whales

Drones revealed the intricate social lives of these killer whales Drones revealed the intricate social lives of these killer whales

By Ellie Shechet

How bomb detectors discovered a hidden pod of singing blue whales

How bomb detectors discovered a hidden pod of singing blue whales How bomb detectors discovered a hidden pod of singing blue whales

A breaching Sowerby's beaked whale.

Carcasses are the best clues we have for these mysterious whales Carcasses are the best clues we have for these mysterious whales

How Do You Autopsy a Whale?

How Do You Autopsy a Whale? How Do You Autopsy a Whale?

By Rebecca Boyle

Humpback whales are organizing in huge numbers, and no one knows why

Humpback whales are organizing in huge numbers, and no one knows why Humpback whales are organizing in huge numbers, and no one knows why

By Sara Chodosh

sperm whales seen from above

Sperm whales have a surprisingly deep—and useful—culture Sperm whales have a surprisingly deep—and useful—culture

By Ellie Shechet

Remembering one of history’s greatest whale explosions Remembering one of history’s greatest whale explosions

By Sara Kiley Watson

southern right whales

The secret to helping this resilient whale species lies in its genes The secret to helping this resilient whale species lies in its genes

By Emma Carroll/The Conversation

We can protect whales from ship strikes by translating their songs We can protect whales from ship strikes by translating their songs

By Kate Baggaley

Whale ‘roadkill’ is on the rise off California. A new detection system could help. Whale ‘roadkill’ is on the rise off California. A new detection system could help.

Finally, some good news about humpback whales

Finally, some good news about humpback whales Finally, some good news about humpback whales

What’s big, lives underwater, and fights climate change with its body and booty? Whale give you one guess.

What’s big, lives underwater, and fights climate change with its body and booty? Whale give you one guess. What’s big, lives underwater, and fights climate change with its body and booty? Whale give you one guess.

By Sara Kiley Watson

Four-legged whales once straddled land and sea

Four-legged whales once straddled land and sea Four-legged whales once straddled land and sea

By Jan Hoole/The Conversation

The toxins of our past still threaten the future of killer whales

The toxins of our past still threaten the future of killer whales The toxins of our past still threaten the future of killer whales

By Jillian Mock

How whale corpses feed ocean floors

How whale corpses feed ocean floors How whale corpses feed ocean floors

By Eleanor Cummins

Drones can take scientists to strange new places—like inside whale snot Drones can take scientists to strange new places—like inside whale snot

By Jessica Boddy

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

Look to large bodies to understand long life spans

Look to large bodies to understand long life spans Look to large bodies to understand long life spans

By Kate Baggaley

Listen to this orca saying ‘hello’—for science! Listen to this orca saying ‘hello’—for science!

By Sara Chodosh

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death Humans may be scaring narwhals to death

By Kate Baggaley

Space weather may be killing sperm whales

Space weather may be killing sperm whales Space weather may be killing sperm whales

By Sara Chodosh

To save endangered whales, look to the poop

To save endangered whales, look to the poop To save endangered whales, look to the poop

By Kate Baggaley

Why whales are back in New York City

Why whales are back in New York City Why whales are back in New York City

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Whales today are bigger than ever before. Now, we know why.

Whales today are bigger than ever before. Now, we know why. Whales today are bigger than ever before. Now, we know why.

By Mary Beth Griggs

underwater image of true's beaked whale

Here’s the first video of one of the planet’s most elusive beaked whales Here’s the first video of one of the planet’s most elusive beaked whales

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Why can whale nerves stretch and turn like bungee cords?

Why can whale nerves stretch and turn like bungee cords? Why can whale nerves stretch and turn like bungee cords?

By Claire Maldarelli