Whale Facts

Do you want to learn interesting facts about the world’s largest mammals? Read on to discover more about these graceful sea creatures that have more in common with humans than you might realise!

Image credit: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters

Whales can be found all through the world’s oceans. Despite looking like big fish, they are actually warm-blooded mammals that breathe air, just like humans. They are protected from the cold ocean waters by a thick layer of fat called blubber.

The Blue Whale is the biggest known animal to have ever lived on our planet. It can grow up to 30 metres in length and weigh up to 200 tonnes – that’s as much as 33 elephants!

Whales are part of the Cetacea family which includes around 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The species found in Australian waters include Blue Whales, Humpback Whales, Sperm Whales, Minke Whales, and Orcas (also known as Killer Whales).  

Humans have long been fascinated by the moans, howls, and cries that whales use to communicate. These sounds aren’t genetically hard-wired like birdsongs but have to be learned from other whales. Whale songs are thought to be mating calls but there’s still a lot about them that we don’t know.

Whales are at the top of ocean’s food chain and play an important role in helping fish and other species reproduce and thrive. Whale poo is an essential source of nutrients for marine phytoplankton which produces more than half of the oxygen humans need to breathe.

Image: Commercial whaling in Iceland. Credit: Jonas Fr. Thorsteinsson

Every year whales unfortunately die in collisions with shipping, cruise, and fishing vessels.

Fishing nets and gear are also a threat, both active and\lost, abandoned fishing equipment, known as ‘ghost gear’, all of which can injure and even kill these majestic creatures.

Commercial hunting of whales for meat and blubber was banned by the International Whaling Commission in 1986. But three countries – Iceland, Japan, and Norway – continue to kill more than 1,000 whales every year.

But the biggest threat to whales in the future might just be climate change. Changes to the oceans’ temperature, winds, and currents mean whales’ feeding grounds will change too. They may have to travel further to find food, leaving them less time for feeding.

What can you do to help?  

Whale watching is an incredible way to marvel at these majestic creatures as they leap and frolic through Australian waters on their annual migration.

Choosing an accredited Whale Heritage Site, like Hervey Bay, is a way to take part in this unique activity in a way that respects and protects whales and their habitats.