Emma's Earth Explorations

  These beautiful photos of Baleen Whales are probably fascinating enough to be their own post. A thanks to all the sources that provide photos like these; they contribute greatly to the wonderous perception we have of the oceans. What are Baleen Whales? I've used this term multiple times throughout the Arctic subseries, such as in the Humpback and Bowhead Whale articles, but what does this really mean? Are Baleens a subspecies of whale? A type of whale? What are their main characteristics? It's important to know what all the terms mean when you're learning about new species, and really, anything in general. Don't bother with the 8,157 word Wikipedia page on Baleen Whales. Here's everything you need to know, served in the form of a short, yet substantial article with a generous side of sarcasm.   Here's a helpful diagram on the anatomy of a Baleen Whale. These features are characteristics of all Baleens; the most notable of which is the Baleen.  If one read th...

  In a physical showdown of Whale vs Dolphin, this picture shows that Whale beats Dolphin. But what about in intelligence? Emotional capacity?  Whales and Dolphins are both famous members of Cetacea, but what makes them different from one another? In a series of Whale vs Dolphin showdowns, you'll discover what exactly makes  Battle of Brute Force : In the right corner, we have... Team Whale, weighing in at a max of 180 tons. And in the left corner, we have Team Dolphin, weighing in at a max of...let's just say less than a ton.  One of the most obvious differences between whales and dolphins is size. Whales are generally bigger and heavier than dolphins, which have more stream-lined bodies.  Clearly, in a battle of brute force, whale beats dolphin. Let's look at the attributes of each group and find out why.  Whale Average Size: 10-110 feet long, up to 180 tons Body Shape: Thick, wide, round, surrounded by fat and blubber Dolphin Average Size: 5-35 feet long...

  As seen here, Cetaceans are clearly some of the ocean's coolest creatures What makes a whale a whale? What about dolphins? Porpoises? Growing up, I was fascinated by these magical marine mammals, but I wasn't sure what exactly made them different from each other. Even though I knew they were different, somehow, I could tell that they all belong together in some way.  From Blue Whales to Belugas and River Dolphins to Vaquitas, all species of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises are Cetaceans.  Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises all belong to the infraorder, Cetacea, because of several shared characteristics I'll be outlining below.  Marine Mammals All Cetaceans live fully aquatic lifestyles, which seems strange because these creatures are actually mammals. Being endothermic, or warm-blooded, is one of the aspects that separates Cetaceans from fish. Not all marine mammals are Cetaceans; animals like otters, walruses, and polar bears are also considered as marine ma...

  We're in the world of whales. I originally started the Oceans series as a general overview of all marine species, but now, it's expanded to so much more. This is probably not ideal as school has started which means that stress has been revived into my life. The Arctic series just came about when I couldn't' stop thinking about its mystery and beauty. We ended with the Humpback Whale  that can be found in the Arctic and almost all the oceans. This species is the connector to the next Oceans subseries... that I won't be announcing just yet. If there's anything that you've learned or should've learned from the Arctic subseries, it's that I love fantasy and mystery. Before we jump into the next oceanic region, I want to firmly establish the world of whales. And no, I couldn't come up with a better sounding title, but thank you World of Wars for being the inspiration for this article. The following posts will detail the facts I believe we should kno...