PiLot WhaLes

Just for fun!

When your about to take a picture of your friends, instead of saying “cheese” switch it with the word “whales”, you’ll make them laugh, I guarantee it.

Pilot Whales socializing off the shores of Cape Breton Island

Pilot whales are very social, and are often found in groups of 20 to 90 pods. They swim, breed and eat as a group. Some pilot whales show off and spy hop. They basically stick half of their bodies out of the water, vertically, almost like break dancing. Can you spy hop? Many animals spy hop, not just this big guy. Wolves all need to do this, so they can see their surroundings.

Pilot whales look like black dolphins with a white or light grey anchor-shaped patch on its bottom surface. They have rounded heads with a very small beak. The male’s head may protrude up to 4 inches over the lower jaw! Its body is long, allowing the whale to swim with ease, but very stocky and muscular. They look cute, but they can hold their ground.

Pilot Whale Spy Hopping

Pilot whales are generally found in both the northern and southern hemisphere or in tropical water throughout the world. Short-finned pilot whales tend to chill out in the warmer water.

Did you know?

• Pilot whales eat squid!
• One captive pilot whale named “Morgan” was trained by Navy scientists to retrieve beeper-attached objects from the ocean floor at depths of over 1,600 feet—Pretty incredible!

If you’re ever visiting Nova Scotia, check out the whale watching adventure tours! You’ll get a chance to get up close and personal with these loveable sea creatures. Here’s a video from my last trip to Cape Breton Island, enjoy! Click here for whales

The SqUiRmY sQuiD!

Once you get over the squirmy legs and tentacles, the coolest thing about the squid or  “cephalopod” is the “mantle”! A jet propulsion system! Without it, it wouldn’t be able to swim. The squid sucks water into its mantle and shoots it out with mega speed, much like a jet or an airplane!

 

The Squid

 

 

Did you know squid have the ability to change their colour? Well it does to suit its surroundings, which make them more invisible to predators.

Most grow to 24 inches long, but the GIANT squid, can reach up to 43 feet! Look out for those big guys. If you’re behind one, look out! All squid have an ink sack, which allows them to discharge black ink ward off other predators.

Check out this cool video of some washed up squid in Nova Scotia, you can see the jet-propulsion system in action.

Jump into JeLlYFiSh!

The Jellyfish.

Famous for it’s sting, the jellyfish is made up mostly of water, it’s got no heart, brain or bones.

Also known as jellies or sea jellies

Jellies swim by jet propulsion (much like a rocket). The jelly will expand then quickly contract its bell-shaped body, which forces water away from the body and pushes the jelly in the opposite direction.

Jellies have specialized stinging cells to help protect themselves against ocean predators like the sea turtle. Each of these cells contains a “nematocyst” which acts like a mini harpoon. When a jelly touches something the harpoon is released and injects toxin into whatever it hits.

Remember the harmless jellyfish swarm in the movie Finding Nemo? Well not all jellies sting, the clear ones are usually safe.

Did you know?

• A jellyfish is made up of 96% water, 3% protein and 1% minerals—humans are made up of 90% water when we’re born!
• Jellyfish have been swimming the earth’s oceans for over 650 million years! That’s longer than the dinosaurs.
• Jellies don’t have eyes either! They have organs called “rhopalia”. And the rhopalia have sensory organs called “statocysts” that help jelly’s balance. When a jelly tips too far to one side, the statocyst will turn him right side up.