Questions and Answers:
How long do whales live?
There is a previously written answer to this question by Dr. Clapham at
http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/ask00/0224.html that I think you will
find helpful.
How can you tell if a whale is a girl or a boy?
For many whale species the males and females are not easy to define because
they are similar in size and characteristics. You can tell the difference
if the whale is belly up and you can see the genital slits. In this case
the females have nipple slits on each side of their genital slit where males
don't and also males have separate genital and anal openings where females
do not. Another way to differentiate between males and females is if you
see a whale with a calf it is most likely a mother whale.
Thank you for your questions Danielle.
Happy Holidays!
Kim
Kim Marshall
Executive Director
Ocean Alliance (Whale Conservation Inst. & the Voyage of the Odyssey)
191 Weston Road, Lincoln, MA 01773
781.259.0423 ext. 14 fax 259.0288
www.oceanalliance.org www.pbs.org/odyssey
Please support our efforts to conserve whales and their ocean environment
through research and education :)
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