Neptune's Dolphins

Beauty and strength are what most people admire most about the tiger, the only cat (Note 1) with a striped coat. The largest living cat in the world, she possesses both grace and mystery. Because of her reputation as a dangerous foe, people have hunted the tiger to prove their bravery.

 

During the day, the tiger rests in the shade. Sometimes she likes to lie in a quiet pool of water to escape the heat. (Unlike most cats, the tiger likes to swim.) At dusk, she begins her hunt for food. Using her keen eyesight and hearing, the tiger looks for deer or wild pigs.

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A solitary hunter, the tiger prefers a large range where she sees no other tiger. She does not choose her prey but will stalk and ambush any nearby animal. Using the cover of trees, the tiger carefully places each foot on the ground, moving slowly towards her prey. When the tiger is next to the unfortunate animal, she explodes in a rush and bites his neck.

 

Most people see the tiger as a man hunter, since she has been responsible for deaths of more people than any other cat. One famous tiger, the Champawat Tigress killed 436 people in the early part of the Twentieth Century. However, the tiger does not actively hunt people but will kill someone if she happens upon them. Although the tiger spends most of her time hunting, her reputation as a vicious killer is undeserved.

 

In parts of India, people have a deep relationship with tigers. Offerings are made to Waghoba, the Tiger God (Note 2) for protection of their families and their livestock. When a person encounters a tiger, they bow and fold their hands. Then they ask for the tiger to let them pass, and wait for the cat to walk away. When a tiger kills a person, a statue of the God (or Goddess Washin) will be placed at the place of attack. Offerings are made, and the people ask Waghoba for forgiveness in neglecting his worship.

 

Because of the tiger’s fearsome beauty, she has been a part of religious life in China. There, five mythic tigers guard the universe. (Note 3) In Taoism, the forces controlling the universe are the Yin of the tiger and the Yang of the Dragon. For the Chinese, tigers protected graves from being disturbed. To dream of a tiger meant nobility and power.

 

In China, the White tiger guards the West and stands for the virtue of righteousness. In Feng Shui, White Tiger balances the rooms with Black Tortoise, Green Dragon, and Red Bird. (Note 4) In addition, He is a protector against evil, trampling the five poisonous (venomous) animals – the lizard, snake, spider, toad, and centipedes. Meanwhile the White Tiger will bring safety and prosperity.

 

For Hindus, Shiva, the Destroyer and Creator, rides a tiger. Dawon is the sacred tiger of Parvati, who rides him into battle. In India, the Bengal Tiger (the National Animal) is a symbol of strength, power, and fearlessness.

 

Meanwhile, the Moslems of Sumatra believed that the tiger punished sinners on the behalf of Allah. And, Malaysians consider it bad manners to refer to the tiger by name, so they call Her “Lady”. In Korea, tigers are the protectors against bad spirits, and bring good luck.

 

The exquisite grace and power of the tiger evokes awe and fear in people. Capable of killing animals twice her size, the tiger is one of nature’s most feared predators. What the tiger teaches people is for them to act swiftly and with resolve. Although powerful and quick over short distances, the tiger cannot out run the wild ox or buffalo. She must stalk them, and then explode into action to kill the unfortunate animal. The tiger’s quick action and resolve ensures her a meal. Just be mindful when you act or you may get a fierce reputation like the tiger.

 

The Tyger By William Blake (1794)

 

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

 

In what distant deeps or skies.

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

 

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat.

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

 

What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp.

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

 

When the stars threw down their spears

And water’d heaven with their tears:

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

 

Tyger Tyger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

 

Notes:

 

Note 1. Cats are traditionally divided into two groups – Big and Small Cats. Big Cats (Pantherinae) differ from Small Cats (Felinae) in several ways. They roar instead of purr, with their roars being very loud and resonant. Unlike Small Cats, Big Cats attack animals larger than themselves. They suffocate the prey with a strangle hold on the neck or by covering the prey’s snout with their jaws. Messy eaters, Big Cats do not groom themselves as meticulously as Small Cats.

 

The Cat Subfamilies: Felinae includes the puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, and margay cat. Pantherinae includes the bobcat, jaguar, lion, leopard (panther), lynx, and the tiger.

 

Note 2. The Tiger God Waghoba has different names in different regions of India. He is called for example, “Waghro” in Goa and “Bageshwar” in Central India. Conservationists believe that the relationship between the Indian people and the Tiger God promotes tiger conservation.

 

Note 3. The Five Tigers of China:

Red rules South, Summer, Fire

Black rules North, Winter, Water

Blue rules East, Spring, Earth

White rules West, Autumn, Metals

Yellow rules Center, Supreme Ruler, Sun

 

Note 4. The Four Divine Beasts of the Chinese Cosmos:

 

White Tiger: West, Autumn, Metal

Azure Dragon: East, Spring, Wood

Black Tortoise: North, Yin, Water

Red Bird: South, Yang, Fire.

 

 

A master mouser, the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) can pinpoint the locations of small rodents with only sound. As a nocturnal hunter, she has such an acute sense of hearing that the Barn Owl can swoop down on a mouse, in the dark night. Because the Barn Owl is so good at hunting, many people think she spends many hours just loafing about.

 

In Europe, the Barn Owl had a sinister reputation because people associated her with darkness and death. Best known for her eerie skeletal appearance and bloodcurdling scream, the Barn Owl was regarded by the British as the Bird of Doom. Since she nests in church belfries and abandoned buildings, she became associated with ghosts.

 

In Mongolia, the Barn Owl is a Bird of Life. Genghis Khan attributed her with saving his life. While being pursued by his enemies, Khan hid in a bush. Fortunately for him, the Barn Owl decided to roost on that particular bush. His enemies thought that, since she was there, Genghis Khan had to be elsewhere. Since then, Mongolians held the Barn Owl in high esteem.

 

The Barn Owl is associated with the Hag Goddess, the Cailleach of the Celts. The Barn Owl represents Her Power over the unseen forces of the night. The Gaelic word for this owl is “cauileach-oidhche,” the white old woman of the night.”

 

In addition, the Barn Owl is associated with the faeries. Gwyn ab Nundd, the King of the Faerie has an owl companion. His owl represents the balance between light and darkness. Therefore, Barn Owl is the connection between this world and that of the faeries.

 

The Barn Owl teaches about the power of life and death. In folklore, the Barn Owl either saved people or predicted their death. In reality, she is a secret benefactor to people, for she kills numerous rodents that bring diseases to people. The Barn Owl provides life to ordinary people in this way. Silently killing rats hiding in the dark, she demonstrates the wise use of the power of life and death. The Barn Owl cautions people to use this power only for good.

 

This worldwide Order of Birds ranges from the tiny Elf Owl of North America to the huge Eagle Owl of Eurasia. As predators, Members of the Owl Family regard anything that moves as fair game. While the Elf Owl eats insects, the Eagle Owl feasts on deer. Because most Members of the Owl Family fly at night, they occupy the same niche in the eco-system as hawks and eagles. Native Americans called the Owl Family “Night Eagles”.

 

Members of the Owl Family are divided into two groups. The older, smaller group of Barn Owls and Bay Owls (Tytonidae) are distinctive with their heart-shaped faces. They have longer skulls, beaks, and legs than the newer group of owls (Strigidae) do. The round-headed owls, that most people see, are from the larger Strigidae Family.

 

Because so few birds are nocturnal and the majority of owls (Strigiformes) are, people respected but distrusted them. Japanese regarded Barn Owls and Horned Owls as demonic. In Borneo, Scops Owls were thought of as ill omens to be avoided at all costs. The Romans believed that any owl sucked the blood of babies. Meanwhile, parents of various Native American nations would tell their children when they misbehaved that “owls will get you.” In Mexico, people will say “when the owl cries, the Indian dies.”

 

A fearsome being, the Slavic Strzyga (Strigoi) is a “vampire” spirit who takes the form of an owl. With her two lines of teeth, the Strzyga will suck blood, take people’s life energy, and finally eat their insides. Remembering her human life, the Strzyga will hunt down the people who had hurt her. Because of her hunting at night, people will rarely venture out after dark.

 

Various owls are associated with different Gods. In Hawai’i, Pueo (Hawai’ian Owl) is a protector. As ‘Aumakau, Pueo is the ancestor guardian who watches over the family. Because a Barn Owl saved Genghis Khan from his enemies, Mongolians revered her. Meanwhile, Celts look upon the Tawny Owl as one of the five oldest animals on earth. One of the animals associated with the Norse Goddess Frigga is the Great Horned Owl.

 

Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of Wisdom, has a sister – Alakshmi who takes the form of an owl. Often, Alakshimi will give Her Sister bad advice. As an owl, She indicates the arrogance and stupidity that accompanies excessive luck. Depending on the region of India, owls can either be good fortune or messengers of death.

 

The Cailleach of Celtic mythology is often linked with the Barn Owl. As a Hag Goddess, the Cailleach has dominion over the night and the winter. Meanwhile, the Barn Owl has a ghostly presence at night. Moreover, the Gaelic word for owl is “cauileach-oildhche,” which means “night-cockerel” or “the white old woman of the night.”

 

Ancient Greeks welcomed the Little Owl as their Goddess of Wisdom’s Friend. Athena is shown with the Little Owl (Athene noctua). One of this Goddess’ epithets is “Glaukopis,” which means “Bright Eyed.” The owl represents her wisdom and sharp vision.

 

Hypnos, the Greek God of Sleep, takes a form of an owl from time to time. In some of the myths, He flaps his wings to bring sleep. Considered to be benevolent, Hypnos could put even the Gods to sleep. Like the owl, He governed the liminal place between wakefulness and sleep. (The Romans called Hypnos, Somnus.)

 

Members of the Owl Family represent the fears, anxieties, and wisdom of people. However, to see owls as they truly are, brings about a greater appreciation of their role in nature. Owls are master predators that keep their territories from being overrun by rodents. Various owls have exploited all kinds of environments ranging from frozen tundra to arid deserts. In fact, the Barn Owl makes her home on nearly every continent on earth. Members of the Owl Family live in dead trees, on buildings, and burrows in the ground. They hunt during the day as well as at night.

 

Owls seek their own counsel in what they do. They seize what opportunities there are and then exploit them to the maximum. The Owl Family teaches you to follow your own inner wisdom. Seek your own counsel and increase your opportunities.

 

For further reading:

 

Mike Clelland, “The Messengers: Owls, Synchronicity and the UFO Abductee.” 2020.

Mike Clelland, “Stories from the Messengers: Accounts of Owls, UFOs and a Deeper Reality.” 2020.

In ancient Greece, Mediterranean Monk Seal was placed under the protection of Poseidon, the God of the Sea, and Apollo, the God of the Sun, because Monk Seal showed a great love for sea and sun. The Greek sages, Homer, Plutarch, and Aristotle, immortalized Him in their writings. As long as there have been people living around the Mediterranean, Monk Seal has been a part of their lives.

 

Instead of ice and snow, Mediterranean Monk Seal has sandy beaches and warm waters to live in. He is called Monk Seal because He is bald and is often alone like a Christian monk. Exceedingly shy, He prefers the company of few friends. Mediterranean Monk Seal runs contrary to modern people’s perceptions of where seals live.

 

Mediterranean Monk Seal teaches the fragility of life. Once common to the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean Sea, He is now found only small islands and cliffs around rocky coasts, which are inaccessible to people. Cherish life as the people who try to save Monk Seal from extinction.

 

“We must act now. By protecting the monk seal, we protect the sea itself.” Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal (Mom).

 

Notes:

Note 1. Various countries in the Mediterranean have treaties to protect the Mediterranean Monk Seal, and to work on recovering their numbers.

Found throughout most of the world, butterflies are the most beloved of insects. The Monarch of the New World and Swallowtail of the Old World are greatly admired for their beauty. What people do not realize is that butterflies and moths belong to the same Order of Lepidoptera (scale wing). They think that there are dramatic differences between the two species. For instance, butterflies are always beautiful, and moths are not. However, many moths such as Luna Moth are beautiful, while many butterflies such as Cabbage Butterfly are dull colored. What makes butterflies beloved by people, and moths sinister and mysterious? Butterflies are seen during the day, while moths only come out at night.

 

What butterflies are best known for are their magical transformations. From a rather, dowdy caterpillar springs forth a magnificent butterfly. Mother Butterfly lays eggs on a particular plant species. For weeks after the caterpillars emerge, they feed off the plant. After molting several times, the now legless caterpillars become chrysalis, thereby suspending themselves from leaves by a girdle of silk. After a period of internal transformation, the adults emerge as butterflies.

 

Many people associated butterflies with souls. In Europe, the newly dead would hover near their body as a butterfly. In Ireland, the white butterfly held the soul of a dead child. For others, the butterfly meant the death of the body, and the rebirth of the soul in paradise. In Mexico, the Monarchs arrive at the Day of the Dead (Dia de Los Muertos). Some see these butterflies as spirits of their ancestors returning.

 

To the Chinese, butterflies are a symbol of joy. The Japanese regard a pair of butterflies as a symbol of married happiness. The Japanese thought that if one enters your home and perches on a screen, that the person that you love would come to visit.

 

For Christians, the butterfly is a symbol of resurrection, new life, and immortality. Like Christ who died and rose again, the butterfly dies as a caterpillar and emerges from the chrysalis as a glorious butterfly. This act symbolizes Christ rising from the Tomb.

 

Various species of butterflies have specific meanings. In Ancient Egypt, the Tiger Butterfly was associated with Ra, the God of the Sun. (This butterfly resembled the ankh.) In the Appalachian Mountains, the Fritillary means money is coming, while in the Ozarks, the Mourning Cloak means that spring is here.

 

The lessons of the Butterfly Family are let go of old behavior, and move into the next phase of your life. Trust in the process of change, and weather the winds of uncertainty. Know when you are going through a transition that the butterfly is there to help you through it. Remember not to be in such a hurry. Be like the butterfly and take your time, and be still for a while.

 

Note: The differences between butterflies and moths: Butterflies have clubbed antenna. Moths form a cocoon, butterflies, a chrysalis. Moths have a frenulum, which holds their two wings together during a flight.

 

“Despite their small size, butterflies and moths are some of the world’s most wondrous animals. Their beauty, seemingly miraculous metamorphosis, and apparently carefree flight all spark our imaginations.” – Barbra Feldman, Surf Net Kids.

Once ranging from Arizona to Argentina, the jaguar is now only found in the rainforests of Central and South America. The largest Cat of the Americas, he is the only representative of the Panther Sub-Family (Pantherinae) (Note 1) in the New World. This powerfully built, relatively stocky Big Cat (Note 2) likes to roam close to rivers and lakes. A strong swimmer, he likes the water, unlike most other cats. The jaguar catches fish, otters, and caimans that live in the tropical rivers. In addition, he is the only Big Cat that regularly kills his prey by piercing the skull with his canines.

 

Worshiped and feared for his ability as a hunter, the jaguar’s lifestyle is still unknown to people. Nocturnally prowling through the moist lowland forests, the jaguar became mystically associated with the underworld, night, and fertility. Since the jaguar is the only Big Cat that cannot roar, He silently “escorts” people out of his rainforest. The Mayas and Aztecs thought that the jaguar could shape shift as well, because of his elusive qualities.

 

Important to Central American religions, Jaguar is a fierce God of Fertility and Sacrifices, the Ruler of the Underworld. The Mayas and Aztecs formed religious, military, and political structures around their worship of Jaguar. The Jaguar granted warriors fierceness in combat. Tezcatlipoca, Jaguar God of the Aztecs, is the God of the Night. (Note 3) For the Mayas, Jaguar is the Night Sun who journeys through the night. Modern Mayas believe that the jaguar protects their villages at each entrance.

 

In South America, the Bororo have a cosmological relation with the “Jaguar Spirit.” The Caingua believe that a jaguar roaming near a burial ground was the transformed spirit of the Dead. The Kogi believe that the jaguar defends the archaeological sites.

 

Because of his mythic power, the Catholic Church, in the 17 Century, outlawed Jaguar images and costumes. However today, masked Jaguar festivals are held on Corpus Christi throughout Central America. Even in the modern age, Jaguar is still feared and revered. “It is a dweller of the forests …It is the lord, the ruler of the animals,” observed Fr. Bernardino de Sahagun. In Mexico, the “danza de los tecuanes” (jaguar dances) are still performed.

 

Meanwhile, the “black panther” (Note 4) is actually a jaguar with melanistic (black) coloration. Quite frequent in jaguars, the black color helps them hide more effectively in the dark jungles. Forest (dark) Jaguars are usually smaller in size than Golden Jaguars.

 

To the Aztecs, Black Panther saw the shadow inside every being. He represented the Great Smoking Mirror. In this role, He foretold the future, kept Time, and was the Gatekeeper to the Unknownable. He is the God Tezcatlipoca, the Obsidian Mirror.

 

In his jungle, the jaguar walks without fear as the Master of the Night. He teaches those who have the courage to face him, also to live without fear. People, who calmly go with the jaguar as their escort, walk in the darkness with a protector.

 

Notes

Note 1: True panthers (Panthera pardus) live in the Old World. The jaguar (Panthera onca) is found only in the New World. The jaguar is stockier, and more powerful than the panther (also known as the leopard.) However, they belong to the same Sub-Family. Meanwhile, the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) is a separate species in the Big Cat family. However, the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is considered neither a Small Cat nor a Big Cat.

 

Note 2. Cats are traditionally divided into two groups – Big and Small Cats. Big Cats (Pantherinae) differ from Small Cats (Felinae) in several ways. They roar instead of purr, with their roars being very loud and resonant. Unlike Small Cats, Big Cats attack animals larger than themselves. They suffocate the prey with a strangle hold on the neck or by covering the prey’s snout with their jaws. Messy eaters, Big Cats do not groom themselves as meticulously as Small Cats.

 

The Cat Subfamilies: Felinae includes the puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, and margay cat. Pantherinae includes the bobcat, jaguar, lion, leopard (panther), lynx, and tiger.

 

Note 3. A post will discuss this God in depth.

 

Note 4: “Panther” is a commonly used word for several cats. The puma (cougar), a member of the Small Cat Sub-family, is called “panther.” The leopard is also called “panther.”

 

 

 

 

Contrary to popular belief, seals not only live only in the Arctic and Antarctic, but also in the warmer seas as well. Also, seals can be found living in inland seas like the Caspian Sea and Mediterranean Seas. Ringed Seal and Baikal Seal live in freshwater lakes. Hawai’ian Monk Seal can be seen sleeping on the beaches of Hawai’i.

 

Humans have long traditions regarding seals. The Romans believed that sealskins would protect people from thunder and lightning. The Scots and Welsh tell of seal-people (Selkies), who would become human by laying aside their sealskins and walking on the land. Some Irish and Scottish families claim Selchies as ancestors. Other Celtic peoples regarded seals to be messengers from the Fairy Realms.

 

In “The Druid Animal Oracle,” Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, write “The Dan nan Ro’n – the Song of the Seals – upsets and frightens many who hear it. Its mournful and human sound stirs the heart of the listener to the core.” Otta Flora Swire describes the same in “The Inner Hebrides and Their Legends, the seal’s song as “so beautiful a sound but so terrible in its sadness that those humans who have heard it can bear early life no longer but plunge into the sea to join the seals.”

 

In the “Magic of the Seal,” Melanie Godfrey who rescued a seal pup writes of what the seal told her. “I possess neither land nor sea, therefore I am free. Fear not liminality, but embrace the threshold as you accompany me through the Otherworlds of transition – dance in it….”

 

Seals connect people with the mysteries of life. They live in the water yet come on land from time to time. Bobbing above the surface of the ocean, seals watch life with uncannily human eyes. They live in the liminal places beckoning people, who ask “where will the seals take them?”. Seals help people to see beyond what is. They ask that they look with their mind’s eye to find sacred knowledge of the soul.

 

Notes

Note 1. Sea lions (Otariidae) have noticeable ears. With their powerful shoulder and back muscles, sea lions can haul themselves out of water anywhere, instead having to look for a sandy beach like seals. Moreover, while seals, who have small flippers for legs, scoot along the ground, sea lions can walk with their webbed back legs.

Snakes are highly specialized predators. Although they are simple in form, snakes are equipped for tracking, subduing, and devouring their prey. They are a recent development in the evolution of Reptiles. In addition to losing their legs, snakes have modified their jaws to swallow large meals. Moreover, they have developed some of the most virulent poisons known among animals.

 

Snakes demonstrate the principle of transformation. Evolving from primitive burrowing Lizards, they have diversified into nearly three thousand species. Snakes have reduced their skeleton to a skull, jaws, and a long backbone. Furthermore, they rearranged their internal anatomy to fit their thinner, rounder, longer shape. Their skin is a mosaic of glossy, dry scales set in an elastic skin which They shed about four times a year to enable growth.

 

Scientists divide the Snake Family into two groups – Blind Snakes (Scolecophidia) and Modern Snakes (Alethinophidia). The Modern Snake Family is further divided into fifteen families. Of this, only three groups are venomous, with the remainder being constrictors.

 

Venomous snakes use venom to paralyze their prey, so they can eat it. Since these Snakes inject venom into their victim, they are properly referred to as “venomous”. (“Poisonous” means harmful by ingesting.) Venomous snakes are the Rear-fanged Snakes (such as Boomslang) of the Colubrid Family, and the families that consist only of venomous snakes – the Elapids (Cobras) and Vipers (Rattlesnakes).

 

The non-venomous snakes either kill their prey by swallowing or by constriction. Snakes such as Boas still have rudimentary hind limbs on their bodies. Some of the largest snakes in the world are the constrictors. In fact, Anacondas who live in the waters of the Amazon are usually considered the source for many monster Snake stories.

 

Modern people often think of snakes as animals to kill on sight. However, the ancient Greeks and Romans thought of snakes as being beneficent. They valued snakes for their healing powers, and for protecting their families from harm. In Greece, Asclepius, the Healer wields the Rod of Asclepius – a snake intertwined with a rod. Meanwhile, Hermes has his Caduceus – a staff with a set of wings and two intertwined snakes. Snakes were also divine messengers of prophecy.

 

In response to a plague, Asclepius went to Rome in snake form. As a Snake, He set up a healing temple on an island in the Tiber River. Meanwhile, the Roman Goddess, Bona Dea directed her snakes to indicate herbs for healing.

 

For the Celts, the Adder is connected to healing pools and springs. This Snake is associated with the Mother Goddess Danu of Rivers and Lakes. In Australia, the Rainbow Serpent is the creator of life. The Serpent provides water for a dry continent.

 

The Celtic Snake Goddess, Corra is associated with rebirth, healing and wisdom. She calls forth Her Serpents of Life, Death, and Rebirth to intertwine her magic with the Earth. She is most noted for her final battle with St. Patrick, who driving snakes out of Ireland. Although he was victorious, Corra can still be found at Lough Derg.

 

Snakes are transformative from life to death to rebirth. The Cosmos and the Earth were made with the body of Tiamat of Mesopotamia. The Caduceus and Rod of Asclepius hold the power of the elements to heal and restore. Lord Shiva transforms into the King Cobra to destroy what exists to have the next transformation occur.

 

Further Reading:

Dawn Baumann Brunke, “Awakening the Ancient Powers of the Snake”

Scott Irvine, “The Magic Of Serpents”

Known as “Ghost Whale”, Beluga is the only whale that is all white. Because of her pale color, Russians named Her, “Belulcha,” which means “white one”. Like Manatee, Beluga was once thought to be a mermaid. Today, She is a major character in children’s stories.

 

Like her Mother, Beluga returns to the same river estuary every year. Her Mother first took Her to their “home” when She was a Calf. However, when the ice freezes over her estuary, Beluga will leave her home for warmer coastal waters. But come the springtime, She returns with her Calf to feed in the nourishing Polar waters of their estuary.

 

Unlike other Whales, Beluga has a flexible neck, and can move her head from side to side. Because of her unique ability, She does a visual sweep of the ocean floor while swimming. Her famed flexibility extends to other parts of her body as well. Beluga’s bendable flippers help Her get out of tight squeezes. Her moveable face makes Her one of the most expressive whales. In fact, She often forms her mouth into an “O”. When She is unhappy, Beluga will squirt the offender with streams of water from her puckered mouth.

 

Since She travels in pods of a hundred or more Whales, having a social life is important to Beluga. Called “Sea Canary”, She chirps, peeps, and squeaks to her Pod Mates. In her Pod, Beluga talks with Them all, using trills, chirps, and clucks. Sometimes, She sounds like a rusty gate or an out-of-tune string band, conversing with other Belugas.

 

Life in Beluga’s Pod is loud and noisy. The only time, She and her Friends are silent is when Orca (Killer Whale) is near. Then silence rules the ocean waters. Beluga shows that, with friends you can trust, you will always know when danger is near.

Much bigger than the dinosaurs, Blue Whale is the largest animal ever to live on the earth. Besides her size, Blue Whale is noted for other exceptional qualities as well. Swimming alone in the ocean, She has to communicate long distances underwater to other Blue Whales, so She makes the loudest sound of any living creature. Her bass moans are also the lowest sounds in the ocean. Possessing the tallest and strongest blow of any Whale, Blue Whale’s water sprout is also noticeably slender and upright.

 

However, Blue Whale is full of contradictions. The largest animal on earth feeds on Krill, one of the smallest animals in the sea. (Instead of teeth, She has a row of plates in her mouth called baleen, which functions as a food-collecting device.) For such a fast moving Whale, Blue Whale has a distinctively small and stubby dorsal fin.

 

Although Blue Whale is called ‘blue’ because of her skin color, her mottled, splotchy body actually reflects more colors than any other Whale. When the sun sets below the horizon and darkness falls on the ocean, Blue Whale’s body mirrors the colors of the sky and sea. The hues of her skin turns from blue to yellow and orange, then red, lavender, dark grey, and finally to black. No long just ‘blue’, Blue Whale is now all the shades of the rainbow.

 

Blue Whale mirrors the colors of life. Her body shows the greens and blues of the sea and the yellow and oranges of the sun. If this seriously endangered Whale should pass from this earth, we will be the poorer for it. The sky, sea, and even the land would miss Blue Whale and her colors of the rainbow.

 

Blue Whale’s Statistics:

Length: 110 feet 2 inches (33.5 meters)

Weight: 209 tons (190 tonnes)

Sound: 188 decibels

 

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