Whale behavior remains something of a mystery to us. It’s difficult to study whales in their natural environment, since they spend so much of their time deep beneath the ocean’s surface. Still, scientists are learning more and more about the kinds of things cetaceans do, and are trying to understand why they do them.
Breaching
Some species of whales, dolphins and porpoises will sometimes leap out of the ocean head-first, landing back in the water with a spectacular splash. This is known as breaching. Scientists are not sure why whales breach. Some have suggested that it is a type of mating ritual, or maybe a way for the whales to remove parasites called barnacles from their bodies. It could be a type of communication, or possibly a technique to stun certain types of fish they eat. Or perhaps the whales simply want to have some fun!
Bow or Wake Riding
Many cetaceans, but particularly dolphins, love to ride along in the bow waves (at the front) or the wake waves (at the back) of a moving boat. In fact, dolphins will sometimes ride on the wake or bow waves produced by a large whale. Again, scientists don’t know why the dolphins do this; it might just be the cetacean's way of saying “surf’s up, dude!”
Diving
While many cetaceans spend most of their time within a few yards or meters of the ocean’s surface, there are some which dive to amazing depths in pursuit of a meal. Whales can dive much farther and longer than we ever could; some go down more than a mile (1.6 km) and stay submerged for longer than an hour. Even with oxygen tanks to provide air, humans who dive more than a few hundred feet risk getting a painful (and sometimes fatal) condition called the bends. The bends occur when pressure changes during a dive happen too quickly, preventing the oxygen in our blood from reaching parts of our bodies. So why don’t whales get the bends? Apparently whales possess a substance which allows them to store oxygen directly in their muscles. This allows them to dive without suffering the effects of changing pressure.
Lobtailing
When a whale smacks its tail on the surface of the ocean while the rest of its body remains under water, we say that it is “lobtailing.” Sometimes, whales do this to confuse or frighten fish they are trying to catch. Other times, it appears to be a form of communication, as whales let each other know that they’re in the area, or that they’re upset about something.
Logging
When we say that a whale is “logging,” we don’t mean that it has learned how to chop down trees. “Logging” is the term given to the way whales rest in the ocean, floating motionless at the surface, often facing against the current. Cetaceans can’t sleep in the same way that you or I do; smaller whales, dolphins or porpoises would risk becoming an easy meal for sharks if they just closed their eyes and nodded off. Scientists have discovered that a logging whale has put half of its brain to sleep. This allows the whale to get a bit of rest even as it keeps an eye out for predators.
Migration
Just like some birds, some kinds of whales travel from one part of the world to another, in search of warmer waters, a better place to raise their young, or greater supplies of food. Although not all whales make a long trip, these seasonal migrations can take the whales as far as 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) away and back again. Traveling at an average speed of 2 m.p.h (3 km/h), whales can take over a hundred days to complete just one leg of the migration. Thank goodness they don’t have to pack any luggage ....
Spyhopping
Even with the whales’ sharp sense of hearing, there are times when the best way to tell that danger is near is to take a look around. Whales which raise their heads vertically out of the water for this reason are said to be spyhopping. This method is also used by some whales when they are hunting for food.
Swimming
Swimming, of course, is the most basic behavior of cetaceans, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they are very good at it. A cetacean has a powerful tail, with two lobes called flukes. The flukes are used to drive the cetaceans’ streamlined bodies through the water with great speed. Dolphins have been clocked traveling at more than 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). Even some larger whales can sustain a pretty good speed -- one Sei whale was tracked for more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) at an average rate of more than 10 m.p.h. (17 km/h). Not bad for an animal that weighs the same as nine full-size pickup trucks!
