New Zealand is a good place for whale watching. And whales are such attention-grabbing creatures. Do you know that the guts of the blue whale is the scale of a Volkswagen Beetle? The thoughts bewilders. That will help you put together in your whale watching tour in New Zealand and to be taught a little bit extra about these wonderful creatures, we have put collectively a listing of 10 wonderful information about whales.
We requested the crew Wings over whales in Kaikoura which makes these mysterious creatures of the deep so particular. They’ve been conducting scenic whale watching excursions for over 20 years and know some cool information about whales…
There are two totally different teams of whales
Whales fall into one in all two teams, filter feeders or toothed. Toothed whales have giant tooth for capturing prey, whereas filter feeders filter theirs. Sounds logical! The biggest toothed whale is the sperm whale, which could be discovered right here in Kaikoura. The sperm whale can develop as much as 20.4 meters in size and weigh as much as 50 tons.
They eat one million energy a day
Whales do not do something in small quantities and their weight-reduction plan isn’t any exception. Blue whales can eat as much as 40 million krill per day, which might weigh as much as 3,600 kilograms.
Whales have an extended household historical past
The earliest ancestors of whales lived 50 million years in the past, that means that – together with lizards like our Tuatara – they’re one in all our few surviving connections to the age of the dinosaurs.
Whale tails are all distinctive
Every whale has a singular tail, identical to human fingerprints! Their crevices, grooves and brown algae spots are acquired over time and can’t be replicated.
Boy they’re quick
A blue whale’s tail can generate as much as 500 horsepower when transferring at full pace – up there with our greatest power sources! When startled they’ll attain speeds of as much as 45 km/h, however typically eat at 8-16 km/h.
Beluga whales can smile
Belugas are really social mammals that reside, migrate, and hunt collectively in pods. Their bulbous brow is versatile and in a position to change form. This makes them the one member of the cetacean household that may make facial expressions!
They make plenty of noise down there
Blue whales are one of many loudest animals on earth – the sounds they make could be heard by whales as much as 1,000 miles away.
They’re identical to us… type of
Whales are warm-blooded mammals, that means they breathe air and produce offspring and milk identical to different mammals. The blue whale takes the prize once more, this time for having the biggest mammary glands on Earth – every is about 5 ft lengthy!
Whales love New Zealand
There are greater than 40 species of whales roaming our oceans at this time. Almost half of the world’s whale and dolphin species could be present in New Zealand, making it an incredible place to maintain your eyes peeled while you’re on the coast.
Whales in Maori legend
Whales are particular and might evoke a sense in us that’s much like the sensation you get while you have a look at the celebs. It’s due to this fact no shock that whales had been thought-about supernatural guardians of the Maori throughout their travels throughout the Pacific. Some tribes see whales as descendants of Tangaroa, the god of the ocean. Whales have tapu (sacred) significance to Maori as each supernatural beings and as harbingers of private change and non secular progress.
The place to see them
In case you are within the South Island and wish to see these wonderful animals, go to Kaikoura, New Zealand’s mecca for whale watching. Soar above the ocean with ‘Wings Over Whales’ and achieve a real appreciation for the scale and sweetness of those magnificent creatures. Their high-wing plane provides you the consolation of a singular whale watching expertise from your individual window seat with optimum and unobstructed views.
