transfaabulous reblogged
Whales! I know this is kicking in an open door but folks, they are really fucking big
transfaabulous reblogged
It’s always been odd to me that there are not any ocean scavengers equipped to take optimal advantage of large carcasses. Like…. in prehistoric times, the oceans were full of huge animals… was this a problem back then too?
transfaabulous reblogged
I can't stop thinking about how much mole skeletons remind me of whale skeletons.
We're all familiar with Space Whales but nobody ever talks about Space Moles. Or Desert Whales. Or Giant Ocean Moles. And that's terrible.
What is a Mole, if not a Tiny Dirt Whale? they’re really rather like sperm whales, hunting invertabrates by thier vibrations in total darkness.
Or perhaps a Whale is a very Large Water Mole, with it’s vibration-sensitive organs behind a vibration-amplifying balloon?
The only real difference I can think of between them is that moles don’t have a built-in sonic weapon to the best of my knowledge.
Considering some moles can swim I expect it will not be very long before they become very large and start using echolocation.
YES
MASSIVE CLAWED WHALE
NASAL TENTACLES AS LONG AS A MAN
GIANT SQUID COMMENTS: “the Sperm whales were bad but this is just fucking offensive.”
Apologies if it's been asked already but could I request a cursed whale fact? 🐳🐳🐳
Sperm Whales sleep like this:
jus’ hangin.
whalehenge
They legit just T-pose to sleep
They also have the same type of stripes that humans do!
those white stripes are actually scars, sperm whales are often completely covered in them from tussling with Giant and Colossal Squid which both have TENTACLES LINED WITH GIANT FUCKING TEETH
also just a heads up here but the Colossal Squid, while impressively named, is another type of large squid that’s only slightly larger than the Giant Squid and tends to hang out primarily in Arctic regions.
it’s just another snack on the Sperm Whale menu, but like, A Snack That Fights Back.
transfaabulous reblogged
‘Humpback whale feeding on krill’ by Jean Tresfon
apparently one whale years ago was observed doing this for hours and now more and more whales in the area are seen copying it so we think it’s a whole new behavior and it seems to be a response to shrinking food sources.
Instead of expending any energy actively hunting, the whale just holds its mouth open wherever fish are being hunted by birds. To escape the birds, the fish try to hide in the whale’s mouth because it’s a darker area that looks like shelter. …They’re turning into giant, sea-mammal pitcher plants.
sparklecritter
What is interesting is there is a heron (black heron) that hunts via similar methods (using shade as bait for fish). I do not think it is a learned behavior for them though. Paralel evolution is buck wild. You can reach similar outcomes through wildly different evolutionary methods and paths. Eg - in whales it is their big brains at work - with herons it is instictual - and with pitcher plants it is automatic.
Yeah little creatures love to hide so a number of predators have taken advantage of that and what’s EXTRA fucked up is that another example includes a starfish:
the Ambush Star, pretending to be a shrimp gazebo
THE GAZEBO HUNGERS…
transfaabulous reblogged
In a groundbreaking move, the WDC and Sea Life Trust have officially launched the world’s very first beluga whale sea-sanctuary. The new facility will be located in Iceland and it will measure up to 32,000 sqm with a depth of 10m (32.8 feet). The sanctuary will be open in Spring 2019.
For those who are unaware, a sea-sanctuary is an open water facility than can house ocean animals in a natural environment. This is a great option for formally captive whales and dolphins who cannot be released back into the wild. The animals will be able to live out the rest of their days in the ocean while still being cared for by people. Instead of a concrete tank, cetaceans will be able to live in an enriching environment in the sea.
The first two animals to be shipped to the facility will be two female belugas, Little Grey and Little White. They currently are being housed in Changfeng Ocean World in Shanghai, China. The whales will go through special training to introduce them to transport equipment, to hold their breath for longer periods to prepare them for diving, and for strength training for the new tides and currents they will experience in their new home. The team of trainers and veterinarians will also work to introduce the animals to new flora and fauna that they will encounter at the sanctuary. Veterinarians will also increase the animal’s caloric intake of herring and capelin to help the whales gain weight and blubber for the colder environment.
As the whale’s journey takes place, more posts will be written on progress and updates. More information soon to come!
Photo credit to Sea Life Trust