Whale fact file

Whales live in seas and oceans around the world. Although they spend their lives in water, whales are mammals, not fish. They breathe air through one or two blowholes on top of their heads. When a whale surfaces, it breathes out and takes in air before diving again. Like other mammals, whales are warm-blooded and give birth to live young. A mother whale feeds her calf milk. Different whale species eat different foods. Many baleen whales filter tiny animals called krill from the water. Toothed whales, such as orcas, catch fish or other animals. Some whales travel long distances between feeding areas and warmer waters where their calves are born. This seasonal journey is called migration. Humpback whales are known for their long migrations and for the complex sounds, often called songs, that they make underwater. The whale named for the color of a clear daytime sky is the largest animal known to have lived on Earth.