This ancestor finally went to sea about 50 million years ago. Whales communicate in a variety of ways, but the most common is probably what is called the whale song. This "song" has been found to be very diverse and complex in both quality and characteristics. Whales use this song in a variety of ways. In addition, whales seem to be one of the few organisms with self-awareness, other than primates such as dolphins, humans, and elephants. The social structure of whales is also complex. Males, females, and calves of whales form a certain hierarchy in groups called "pods," and pods are usually dominated by one dominant male (the male caller) who leads the cows (females) and calves.
The less dominant male lives on the edge of the herd and may eventually become independent. The largest animal in existence, and the largest mammal in existence, is the blue whale species. The blue whale can weigh up to 150 tons and exceed 105 feet in length. Whales also have two eyes: baleen whales and toothed whales. Baleen whales use their mouths (whiskers) to strain seawater to obtain food (plankton and krill). Toothed whales are considered predators, the most well known of which would be the killer whale. It is only in the last 50 years or so that whales have come to be looked at as more than just a convenient food source or commodity.
Some species of whales have become completely overfished and are in danger of extinction if protective measures are not taken.
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