Book 6, Question 51
Why Do Whales Breathe Air?
A whale looks like a fish, but it is a mammal, like you. That means it has lungs, not gills, and it must come up to breathe air. It holds one big breath for many minutes, then returns for more.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Whales are mammals, with lungs like ours, so they breathe air.
- For their size, whale lungs are bigger than ours, so they take in more air with each breath.
- Whales and dolphins must keep part of their brain awake to remember to breathe.
- Dolphins even have a tiny bit of hair near their blowhole, like other mammals.
- Because they breathe air, stranded whales can drown if water gets into the blowhole at high tide.
Sources: National Geographic, Scientific American, NOAA Ocean Service, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
Can whales breathe underwater?
No. Whales are mammals with lungs, so they must come up to breathe air.