Even though whales look like fishes, they are related to you and me. We are all mammals, as are porpoises and dolphins. Whales are warm-blooded like us. They don’t have furry coats to keep warm like many land animals. Instead whales have a thick layer of oily blubber under their skin. Whales have hearts like yours and mine too – double hearts with four chambers.
The thing that really distinguishers whales from fish is the way they breathe. Fish get the oxygen they need from passing water through their gills. Whales, on the other hand, have lungs similar to ours. They can hold their breath for far longer than we can. But when they need to breathe again they have to come to the surface, they spout out a jet of mist which looks like a fountain or geyser. As it leaves their nostrils, the breath is a warm vapour. But as soon as it is released into the colder air, it condenses to form the mist we can see. Once the sued air is expelled, the whale can take another breath and dive again.
Picture Credit : Google
