Neptune's Dolphins

 

Ahighly adaptable cat, the puma lives in habitats ranging from snow-covered mountains to tropical rainforests of the Western Hemisphere. Because of her wide range, she has been called many names by many peoples. “Cougar” is derived from a Tupi word, which means “false deer,” because of her brown coat and large size. “Puma,” from the Quechua language of the Incas, means “power.” “Mountain Lion” was a joke that Native Americans played on the Dutch in New York. They told the Dutch that the puma was a female lion that lived in the mountains. (Note 1)

 

Known by many names, the puma is a member of the Small Cats (Felinae Sub-Family) (Note 2) rather than the Big Cats (Pantherinae Sub-Family). Often called “panther” (Note 3), this is a misnomer since the puma does not belong in the Big Cat Family. (“Black Panther” is either a black jaguar or leopard.) Like all Felinae, the puma cannot roar. However, she screams like a woman, which frightens people and other animals.

 

Because she is an exceptionally successful generalist, the puma survived the late Pleistocene extinctions of other large North American felids. Wherever she lives, the puma migrates to follow deer and other prey. She prefers living in caves or among rocky outcrops.

 

Among Native Americans, the puma has a mixed reputation. The Anishinaabe (Note 4) believe She is a being of chaos. (Note 5) The Shawnee see Her more positively, since they think She possesses the gift of prophecy. More familiar with the puma, the Apache People consider Her to be a good mother. The Seminole respect the Florida panther (a subspecies of pumas), who is associated with the winds. (Usually, the members of their Panther Clan are also their leaders.) At the ruins of the Pecos Pueblo is a burial mound honoring Puma as one of the “Beast Gods.”

 

The Huron-Wyandot and the Seneca connect the puma to comets. As the “Death Panther,” He warns the people of imminent disaster. With tobacco offerings, they ask “Death Panther” to “turn aside impending evil.”

 

In Mayan and Aztec cosmology, the puma represents the sun and the Upperworld. (The jaguar is the moon and the Underworld.) The Solar Puma is shown with a crown of rays at Teotihuacan. During the eclipses, the Solar Puma and the Lunar Jaguar form a sexual union or fight each other.

 

For the Incas, the Puma, with the Condor and Serpent, make up the Sacred Trilogy. (Note 6) The Puma represents the wisdom and strength of the earth. This Small Cat is associated with the Land of the Living (Kay Pacha). In fact, Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, is laid out depicting the Puma.

 

The puma has long been a part of North American folklore. Among the woodsmen, the ball-tailed cat is more feared than the puma. This cat is a puma with a giant bone ball at the end of his tail. It uses the ball to drum to attract females. The other use is to drop down on an unsuspecting lumberjack and beat them to death.

 

Another puma-like cat is the Wampus cat, a jet-black panther with glowing eyes. The Wampus cat, with her six legs, is a part of the folklore of the Appalachians. This cat has exceptional speed and agility. This makes it hard to protect livestock from the Wampus cat.

 

Long and lean, the puma is immensely powerful and capable of killing a black bear in a single bite. Stalking him, the puma makes a powerful leap on his back and knocks him to the ground. In forests, she races through the trees with great agility and speed. Concealing herself, the puma follows people closely without them sensing it. In fact, she is an “UFO,” often talked about but little seen.

 

By whatever name the puma is called, she is the epitome of personal power. Elusive and agile, the puma either strikes or watches as she chooses to do. As the graceful ruler of the mountains, she deals out life and death on her timetable. Just remember not to be so elusive and agile that no one can find you. Gary Urbak, a naturalist, noted “It’s sufficient just to know that sometimes in the shadows of dusk, felines on huge paws still creep across the land.”

 

Notes:

Note 1: Names for the puma: cougar, mountain lion, panther, catamount, leopardo.

 

Note 2: Scientists have traditionally split the Cat Family into two groups – the Big Cats (Pantherinae) and Small Cats (Felinae). Although many Felinae are small, the puma (cougar) and ocelot are not. However, they are smaller than Big Cats. Felines differ from Big Cats in other significant ways. Felines hunt by biting the back of their prey’s neck with their needle-sharp teeth. They sever the neck vertebrae of their prey. When felines eat, they crouch. Meticulous, they strive to keep themselves clean, and spend many hours grooming themselves.

 

Note 3: “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 and jaguar are also called “panther.”

 

Note 4: The Anishinaabe People are the Ojibwe, Odawa (Ottawa), Potawatomi, Mississaugas, Nipissing, and Algonquin.

 

Note 5: The Mishipeshu (Underwater Panther) is a Master of the Water and a foe of the Thunderbird, who is a Master of the Air. (Post on this Water God is forthcoming.)

 

Note 6: The Sacred Trilogy represents the Three Worlds of the Inca religion. The Condor, Emissary to the Gods, is associated with the Upper World (Hanan Pacha), The Serpent (Anaconda) with the Lower World (Ukhu Pacha). (A Post on the Trilogy is forthcoming.)

 

Most people do not know about daytime moths like Mother Shipton. Poplar Hawk Moths rest on tree trunks where they are perfectly camouflaged by their gray-brown wings. Recognizable by her large eyespots, the Emperor Moth uses the spots to confuse and frighten attackers. The Death’s-Head Hawk-Moth makes a squeak when picked-up, scaring people. The Peppered Moth exists in two dramatically different forms – the normal pale, and the dark one that lives in smoky towns. Moths use a variety of strategies to cope with life as they find it.

 

Moths of myths have reflected people’s ideas of them. Moths in the Bible represent the frailty of humans and human existence. Psyche of the Greeks, depicted with moth wings, as the Goddess of the Soul, guides the soul from life to death. In the Appalachian Mountains, white moths mean that the ancestors are present. Meanwhile, the Death’s-Head Hawk-Moth has a reputation of being an harbinger of doom. (Note 2)

 

One notable moth is the Black Witch Moth, a large dark colored moth, shaped like a bat. In the Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean cultures, seeing one means death, sickness, or misfortune. Called “duppy bat” in Jamaca, the moth is a lost soul. In Hawai’i, the moth is a loved one’s soul returning to say good-bye.

 

The Orizaba Silk Moth, a large moth, represents the Aztec Goddess, Itzpapatotl, the Obsidian Butterfly. Itzpapalotl rules in Tamoanchan, a paradise for still-born infants and women who died during childbirth. Her wings are tipped with either obsidian or flint knives.

 

The Mothman of West Virginia is a being from the great beyond. This bipedal moth-human has glowing eyes and large wings. West Virginians tell of strange sightings and tragic events when The Mothman is about. (Note 3)

 

In all of the moth’s forms, he copes with life as he finds it. Larvae of Pine-tube Moths tie needles together with silk for protection. Larvae of Bagworm Moths construct little bags out of plant debris and silk to live in. The larvae poke their heads and feet out to feed and move. Learn from the moth various strategies of coping in all aspects of your life.

 

Notes:

 

Note 1: 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.

 

Note 2. “Ode to Melancholy” by John Keats. “Make not your rosary of yew-berries, Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be, your mournful Psyche.”

 

Note 3. An in-depth post on The Mothman will be forthcoming.

 

The strongest climber of the Cat Family (Note 2), the leopard keeps a low profile until he is ready to launch an attack. A smart hunter, the leopard constantly reviews the situation. He will try one way, change his mind, double back, detour around the prey, and then try again. After making his decision, then with laser-like concentration, the leopard silently stalks his prey. Just before attacking, he deliberately stamps the ground to distract his prey

 

In “The Cats of Africa,” Maitland Edey wrote, “Not so the leopard, the most catlike of all cats, the quintessential cat. Secretive, silent, smooth and supple as a piece of silk, he is an animal of the darkness, and even in the dark he travels alone.”

 

Because of the leopard’s fierce reputation, many peoples associate him with divinity. Egyptians linked the leopard with Set, their God of Chaos. In Greece, Dionysus, the God of Wine, often rode a leopard or had one by his side.

 

In Africa, the leopard holds the power of life and death. Only African royalty, who could wield such power, are allowed to wear leopard skins. Moreover, these individuals had the power of life over death in religious ceremonies.

 

Seshat of Egypt is depicted as a woman wearing a leopard skin and a headband of a seven-pointed star. She is the Goddess of Official Building (the Mistress of Builders). As a Goddess of Writing, Seshat keeps the royal annals and genealogies. The leopard skin denotes her association with the Pharaohs.

 

Meanwhile, Wuluo, the Mountain Deity of Qingyao Mountain in China, guards the area. A leopard-human Goddess, She makes a tinkling jade sound when She speaks. Wuluo will answer the prayers of pregnant women who come to the mountain desiring daughters.

 

Since the Romans used leopards to kill Christians, he became the Christian “Beast of the Apocalypse”- a Leopard with seven heads and ten horns. In Daniel and Revelation, the leopard was the ferocity, speed, and astuteness of the military might of Alexander the Great’s Empire. Also, the leopard is the untrustworthy sinner in death. (as in “Can a leopard change his spots?”)

 

Because of the black panther’s color (note 3), great mysticism is associated to her. In China, She rules the North with Winter. Associated with the Dark Mother, Black Panther sees into every soul. With her penetrating yellow-green gaze, She can also look into the future.

 

Romans saw the black panther as the embodiments of Bacchus, the God of Wine. He chose black panthers to pull his chariot. Together, They governed the subconscious and repressed desires.

 

Meanwhile in Australia, black panthers have been secretly roaming the bushland. Known as the Otway (Lithgow) Panther, this Big Cat has been dismissed as bush folklore. However, reputable witnesses have produced evidence of this black panther. The mystery continues.

 

Achieving your goal is what the leopard teaches. Instead of doing things only one way, he assesses the situation. After trying several options, the leopard settles on one. Then with intense concentration, he approaches and kills his prey.

 

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

I will be doing a series on the spirituality of the members of the Cat Family.

 

To many people, cats are mysterious creatures. Even for scientists, understanding cats is a major undertaking. The taxonomy problem of cats is so complex that many scientists have simply divided cats into Big Cats (Pantherinae) (Note 1) and Small Cats (Felinae) (Note 2). But that is not enough. The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) are in their own sub-families. Built for speed, the cheetah’s body type is similar to the greyhound’s. Meanwhile, Clouded Leopard is believed to be the intermediary between Big and Small Cats.

 

Even among regular people, confusion over cats abounds. Pumas and leopards are both called “panther.” (Note 3) However, “black panthers” are either jaguars or leopards. (Note 4) Pumas, belonging to the Small Cat Sub-family, are also known as “mountain lions.” Then there are the “mystery cats” – cats that have been sighted but not easily studied. King Cheetah, Kellas Cat, and Otway Panther (Note 5) are three such mystery cats. Do they exist as separate species or hybrids of current species?

 

From the massively powerful tiger to the tiny Black-footed Cat, they all are highly skilled hunters of prey. Equipped with sharp claws, cats use them for climbing, seizing, and killing prey. Their large canines help cats catch and kill their prey. They are the ultimate killing machines.

 

Since the beginning of time, cats have been a part of human’s lives. In Africa, early humans lived among lions and leopards. Ancient Egyptians and Romans revered Domestic Cat. In the Americas, the Mayas and Aztecs believed that the jaguar could shape-shift and enter other worlds. Around the world, Big Cats traditionally had the powers of life and death. Because Small Cats live such secretive lives, people told stories of “fairy cats.” Moreover “special cats,” such as Black Panther, White Tiger, and White Lion, have their own particular mystical meanings. People’s and cats’ lives have been intertwined across the millennia.

 

People look at cats with all their grace and independence and see the beauty and beast in themselves. Cats, on the other hand, do not particularly want to know people. Cats can be so intolerant of human intrusion into their lives that they will vanish into the night.

 

What cats teach is a sense of the “Other.” People have shared their lives with cats, Big and Small, and still do not understand these animals. For their part, cats care little what people think. Cats are what they are – familiar yet alien. They are the Other, the shadow that accompanies people on their journeys.

 

In “A Monograph of the Felidae,” Daniel Giraud Elliot observed, “Among the families that constitute the class Mammalia, no more attractive one can be found than that of the FELIDAE…. The family comprises not only the largest and most ferocious of the beasts of prey, but also the graceful little animal that delights to make its home within man’s abode.”

 

Rudyard Kipling in “Just So Stories” has the last word. “But the wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself, and all places were alike to him.”

 

The Cat Subfamilies

Felinae includes the puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, and margay cat.

Pantherinae includes the bobcat, jaguar, lion, leopard (panther), lynx, and tiger.

 

Cat Groupings

Crash of Tigers

Kindle of Cats

Leap of Leopards

Pride of Lions

 

Notes:

 

Note 1. Big Cats (Pantherinae) include the bobcat, jaguar, lion, leopard (panther), lynx, and tiger. Big Cats differ from Small Cats 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.

 

People have endowed mystical qualities to Big Cats, because of their silent killing and nocturnal ways. By wearing cat skins, warriors could remain unseen in battle, and priests could shape-shift into Big Cats. In addition, people have used various parts of these animals as mystical amulets, such as tiger whiskers and lion “hair balls.”

 

Note 2. Although many Small Cats (Felinae) are small, the puma (cougar) and ocelot are not. However, they are smaller than Big Cats. Felines differ from Big Cats in other significant ways. Felines hunt by biting the back of their prey’s neck with their needle-sharp teeth. They sever the neck vertebrae of their prey. When Felines eat, they crouch. Meticulous, they strive to keep themselves clean and spend many hours grooming themselves.

 

Note 3: 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 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.”

 

Note 5: The King Cheetah is thought to be a mutation of the cheetah, with a blotchy coat instead of spots. Kellas Cat is believed to be a hybrid of the Scottish wildcat and the domestic cat. Meanwhile, the Otway (Lithgow) Panther is a mystery, since panthers are not supposed to inhabit Australia.

 

Further Reading:

Andrew Anderson, “The Magic of Cats.”

John Rush, “Cats, Keepers of the Spirit World.”

The Cobra (Elapinae) Family which includes Cobras, Coral Snakes, Mambas, and Kraits, are the most deadly of snakes. The genus, Naja, contains the species that most epitomize Cobra—fast, graceful, and possessing an extended hood. Most people are familiar with cobras, through pictures of snake charmers.

 

In Egypt, Cobra was a personification of hidden wisdom. Cobra on the Egyptian Pharaoh’s crown is Egyptian Cobra (Naja haje), an emblem of royalty. The Cobra Goddess (Wadjet) would defend the Pharaoh, as he wore the crown, since he represented Egypt. This cobra was also known as asp, whose bite allegedly killed Queen Cleopatra.

 

The longest venomous snake in the world is King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) (Note 1) of India. Devout Hindus consider King Cobra to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva – the God of Destruction and Regeneration. This snake symbolizes the past, present and future. In India, the cobra is revered and is a part of many sacred rites. Some consider the cobra to be the reincarnation of important people called Nagas (‘warrior ascetics’).

 

King Cobra is capable of delivering more venom than any other snake except for Gaboon Viper. Is cobra attacks the nervous system, and usually kills within fifteen minutes. Mother King Cobra is most aggressive when guarding Her eggs. Therefore, in India, if a nest is found near a village, the area will be evacuated.

 

Cobra does teach about the power of life and death. Knowledge of cobra’s habits can save your life. Remember to learn all you can before going into a dangerous area.

 

Notes:

Note 1. King Cobra is not taxonomically a true cobra (Naja) but is grouped with them. He is the only member of the Ophiophagus family. The King Cobra is the national reptile of India.

The largest of all Toothed Whales, Sperm Whale can dive longer, faster, and deeper than any other Mammal. Known as nature’s submarine, Sperm Whale is well equipped to hunt in the ocean abyss for Giant Squid. Swimming in total darkness, He uses his echolocation to locate Squid. His huge head, which makes up a third of his total body length, houses the wax-filled spermaceti organ that helps Him to dive deep. With steady clicks, Sperm Whale approaches his Prey, then surprises Giant Squid with a sonic scream, disabling Him.

 

Among Whales, Sperm Whale has a unique social life. Elder Mother Sperm Whale governs his Nursery Pod. In the tropics, Sperm Whale Mothers, Females, and Young Males live together. When Sperm Whale reaches maturity, He leaves and joins a Bachelor Pod. Together, He and his Friends roam from the Polar Seas, where Squid lives, to the Tropics where the Nursery Pods are. When He is older, Sperm Whale will navigate the oceans by Himself.

 

Diving vertically into the abyss, Sperm Whale searches for Giant Squid. Using echolocation, Sperm Whale clicks until He sense the outline of Squid in the murky depths. No one knows what exactly happens in the murky depths; only that Sperm Whale is usually victorious. Like this extraordinary Whale, you can explore the Abyss. Just remember to surface from time to time.

 

“There is more character in the Sperm Whale’s head. As you behold it, you involuntarily yield the immense superiority to him, in point of pervading dignity. In the present instance, too, this dignity is heightened by the pepper and salt colour of his head at the summit, giving token of advanced age and large experience.” – “Moby Dick”, Herman Melville

 

One of the two groups of living Whales is Toothed Whales (Odontoceti). (The other group is Baleen Whales (Mysticeti).) Toothed Whales can be found in diverse environments ranging from deep oceans to muddy tropical rivers. This highly sophisticated group of Mammals includes Sperm Whales, Ocean Dolphins, and Porpoises. Beluga and Narwhal, the White Whales of the North, are also Odontoceti. The least known of Toothed Whales, Beaked Whales live in the deep oceans, where few people see Them. River Dolphins, another lesser-known Group, have colonized major river systems of Asia and South America.

 

Although most Toothed Whales have good vision, They all rely on echolocation (sending out sound signals and interpreting the echoes.) In their foreheads, Toothed Whales possess an organ called a melon, which acts as a sonar lens to focus sound. For example, Boto (Amazon River Dolphin) uses echolocation to find prey and to navigate in the murky Amazon River.

 

Unlike Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales live in stable social groups. They cooperate in hunts and help the sick Members of their Pod. Most live in matrilineal Pods, ruled by an old Matriarch. When They are grown, Male Toothed Whales will leave their Nursery Pod and join a different Pod. (However, Sperm Whale Bachelors travel in their own all-male Pod.) In their Pods, Toothed Whales learn hunting and language from their Mothers. Each Orca (Killer Whale) Pod has their own dialect that Orca Mothers teach their Calves. Meanwhile, Dolphin Mothers teach their Calves how to hunt with Sponges.

 

Using their click languages, Toothed Whales coordinate group activities, and plan hunts. A Pod of Bottlenose Dolphins will encircle a School of Fish, and herd Them to the shore. Sperm Whales will protect an injured Companion by gathering around Them in a flower formation known as “Marguerite”. An Orca at Marineland taught his pool Mates how to hunt Sea Gulls that fly in the area.

 

Because Toothed Whales live in stable families, They will support a sick Friend or defend a threatened Companion. Mothers pass their pod’s culture on to their Calves. Traveling and foraging, Toothed Whales form close bonds to hunt and play with. We can learn much about building and maintaining stable relationships from Toothed Whales.

 

 

During his migration from the Polar Seas, Humpback Whale can be seen in coastal waters, breaching and pec-slapping. Easy to distinguish from other Baleen Whales, Humpback Whale has a broad tail, long white-edged flippers, and prominent knobs on his snout. His long narrow flippers, which are almost one-third of his body length, are the longest appendages of any animal.

 

When He finally arrives at his tropical breeding grounds; Humpback Whale sings one of his famous songs to attract Female Humpback Whales. (These songs have two to nine separate themes in a specific order.) Besides spooking whalers, his haunting sounds have been sent into space on the Voyager probes. Also, in “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, two Humpback Whales sang their songs to stop aliens from destroying the Earth.

 

Unlike other Baleen Whales, Humpback Whale hunts in groups. He engages in an unusual form of cooperative hunting called “bubble netting”. (Several Whales produce a continuous spiral of exhaled air making a single, large bubble net.) First, a Humpback Whale will tail slap to startle the Fish. Then each Whale slowly rises below a school of prey, expelling a circle of bubbles. These bubbles form a “net” similar to fishing net. The Fish panic and converge in a small group. Then Humpback Whale swims through the group with his mouth open wide, gulping down Fish.

 

 

Humpback Whale communicates to everyone in a multiple of ways. He sings to Female Humpback Whale to court her. To display his annoyance at whale watchers, He lobtails, pec-slaps, and breaches. Humpback Whale cooperates with his friends in bubble hunting Fish. Learn effective ways to communicate from Humpback Whale.

 

“The most gamesome and light-hearted of all the whales” – Herman Melville, author of “Moby Dick”

 

“We know the whales are saying something. The question however is what it is.” – Gary Lyder, marine biologist

 

Notes:

Note 1. Breaches: Leaping out of the water and returns with a tremendous splash.

 

Note 2. Lobtailing: Forcefully slaps the flukes against the water while remaining partly underwater.

For thousands of years, Whales have captured people’s imagination. People have regarded Whales to be gods, guardians, sea monsters, sources of food, and living islands. From classical Greek mythology to modern day movies, the Family of Whales (Cetaceans) has played a major part in many stories. According to Christians, God sent a Whale to swallow Jonah. Narwhal and his long tusk became the basis of Unicorn legends of the Middle Ages. In the Amazon River basin, people speak of River Dolphins disguising Themselves as men to woo the local girls. Meanwhile, Herman Melville’s novel, “Moby Dick” describes Sperm Whale as the Lord of Demons and Chaos. In the modern era, people see Whales as friends like Flipper (a Bottlenose Dolphin) of movie and TV fame. And, other people regard Cetaceans as mystical representatives from earth’s ancient days or from distant star systems.

 

Alien yet familiar Animals, Whales are Mammals who have totally adapted to the ocean, which is a hostile environment to air breathers. Scientists believe that the ancestor for Whales was a fish-eating land Mammal, related to modern hoofed Mammals. Further DNA tests show that Whales are actually related to Cows and Camels.

 

Although people regard Whales as one generic creature, They are divided into two groups, that are not closely related to each other – Baleen (Mysticeti) (Note 1) and Toothed (Odontoceti). To grasp the difference between the two Groups of Living Whales, think of how closely Cows are related to Camels. Baleen Whales, the largest animals on earth, filter food through their baleen. Famous for their singing, Baleen Whales’ songs have been popular as music recordings. More social than Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales live in larger groups called Pods. Unlike Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales use echolocation to find their prey. (Note 2)

 

Individual Whale Species differ greatly from each other as well. Among Baleen Whales, Right Whales resemble big boats, while Fin Whales are shaped like cruisers. With their square heads, Sperm Whales (who are Toothed Whales) look like submarines. Baleen Whales have two blowholes, while Toothed Whales only have one. Right Whales produce a distinctive V Shape blow, and Sperm Whales’ blows slant forward and to the left.

 

Living in the ocean, which is both fatal and vital to people, Whales have become intermediaries between people and other worlds. With their forceful leaps to the sky and dives to the ocean’s depths, Whales become the nexus between heaven and earth. If you want to go between worlds, let Whales be your guide.

 

“Oh! the whale is free of the boundless sea;

He lives for a thousand years;

He sinks to rest in the billow’s breast,

Nor the roughest tempest fears.

The howling blast, as it hurries past,

Is music to lull him to sleep;

And he scatters the spray in his boisterous play,

As he dashes—the king of the deep.

 

Oh! the rare old whale, 'mid storm and gale,

In his ocean home will be,

A giant in might, where might is right,

And king of the boundless sea!”– 

“King of the Southern Sea,” Joseph Edwards Carpenter
 

“With a frigate’s anchors for my bridle-bitts and fasces of harpoons for spurs, would I could mount that whale and leap the topmost skies, to see whether the fabled heavens with all their countless tents really lie encamped beyond my mortal sight!” – “Moby Dick”, Herman Melville

 

“But now those days are gone for good

Along with men on ships of wood

There’s no return for ships with sails

But maybe we’ll again see whales.” – “Whale Song,” Robert Longley

 

Toothed Whale Family Members (Odontoceti):

Beaked Whales

Dwarf and Pigmy Sperm Whales

Ocean Dolphins and Orcas

Porpoises

River Dolphins

Sperm Whale

White Whales (Beluga, Narwhal)

 

Families of Baleen Whales (Mysticeti):

Rorquals (Blue, Fin, Humpback, Minke, and Sei)

Right Whale

Pigmy Right Whale

Gray Whale

Bowhead Whale

 

Notes:

 

Note 1: Baleens are thin, long, triangular plates of keratin (same material that human hair and nails are made from). These plates grow down from Baleen Whale’s gums, covering the upper jaw.

 

Note 2: Echolocation is the sending out sound signals and interpreting the echoes. In their foreheads, Toothed Whales possess an organ called a melon, which acts as a sonar lens to focus sound.