Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals.They are an informal grouping within the infraorder Cetacea, which usually excludes dolphins and porpoises.Whales, dolphins and porpoises belong to the order Cetartiodactyla, which consists of even-toed ungulates.
There are many types of Whales in the world, but here two (Blue Whales and Sperm Whales) will be discussed.
Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever existed. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as an automobile..
A blue whale's tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant—its heart as much as an automobile.
Conservation
Blue whales are federally listed as endangered. This species was once abundant, but advances in whaling technology made it easier for people to hunt them. With the rise of factory ships, blue whale populations plummeted. They are now protected internationally by a moratorium on whaling, and their numbers are rising. Ship noise, entanglement, and collisions may affect them in areas with high human activity, but occurrences of these events are rare. The effect that climate change will have on blue whales is uncertain.
The sperm whale or cachalot is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia.
Conservation
The Sperm Whale is protected as an endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered Species by Florida's Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.It is also protected Federally protected as a Depleted species by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.