Whale watching is only possible at specific times in the calendar year, and only in a select number of places in the world. Yet it represents one of the most special events in the marine tourism agenda. Whale watching Channel Islands is one opportunity to engage in this activity. If you are in the Channel Islands in Oxnard CA at the appropriate time of the year, you should investigate this event.
Whales are the largest mammals on earth. It might sound strange that they are mammals, since they live in the sea, but they are. They are not cold-blooded, and they also breathe using lungs, unlike ordinary fish, which use gills.
The gills of a fish allow water to pass through them continuously as the fish swims. Not having gills, a whale is unable to do this. This is why it frequently surfaces to inhale its next supply of fresh air. It breathes through its blowhole or spout. The latter is positioned on top of its massive head. This is how the trademark spray of seawater is formed when it surfaces or breaches - as it exhales through its spout, seawater is blasted upwards in a visible explosion.
It then inhales fresh air and submerses itself, or dives, once more. It can dive very deep and remain underwater for a long time. The main principle, though, is that, like a human diver, it must surface at some point in time to breathe.
The key threat to whale populations in the world has always been hunting by human seafarers. The traditional name of this practice is whaling. It was a more frequent activity in previous centuries but nowadays it is illegal almost everywhere. Japan still asserts that their annual hunting expedition is in the interests of scientific research, even though it is vehemently opposed by observers. Japan remains the most notable exception to the modern attitude of prohibition, though.
Whaling has always used an implement called the harpoon. A harpoon is a spear-shaped metal implement that is directed through the air at its target from the whaling vessel. In ancient times, the harpoon was held in the hand and thrown by the power of the hunter's arm. This would be done by a sailor standing in a smaller vessel positioned strategically next to the whale in the water. It cannot avoid surfacing at regular intervals, so the sailor would remain alert in the hunting boat, waiting for it to do so.
In the modern era of whaling, harpoons either included a grenade or electricity. The electric harpoon would electrocute the whale in the water, while the grenade variety would enter into the whale's body and then detonate, causing terrible injury or the death of the animal. Modern whaling vessels used special harpoon launchers or cannons to cast the harpoon more powerfully at the whale.
In recent times, whale populations have been decimated by whaling. They reproduce only very slowly and some species gestate for up to two years. Although Japan obstinately continues to hunt a set number of animals every year, the modern trend is to outlaw this activity. So, if you are able to watch them breaching, it can be a rewarding pastime and one which you should try to participate in.
Whales are the largest mammals on earth. It might sound strange that they are mammals, since they live in the sea, but they are. They are not cold-blooded, and they also breathe using lungs, unlike ordinary fish, which use gills.
The gills of a fish allow water to pass through them continuously as the fish swims. Not having gills, a whale is unable to do this. This is why it frequently surfaces to inhale its next supply of fresh air. It breathes through its blowhole or spout. The latter is positioned on top of its massive head. This is how the trademark spray of seawater is formed when it surfaces or breaches - as it exhales through its spout, seawater is blasted upwards in a visible explosion.
It then inhales fresh air and submerses itself, or dives, once more. It can dive very deep and remain underwater for a long time. The main principle, though, is that, like a human diver, it must surface at some point in time to breathe.
The key threat to whale populations in the world has always been hunting by human seafarers. The traditional name of this practice is whaling. It was a more frequent activity in previous centuries but nowadays it is illegal almost everywhere. Japan still asserts that their annual hunting expedition is in the interests of scientific research, even though it is vehemently opposed by observers. Japan remains the most notable exception to the modern attitude of prohibition, though.
Whaling has always used an implement called the harpoon. A harpoon is a spear-shaped metal implement that is directed through the air at its target from the whaling vessel. In ancient times, the harpoon was held in the hand and thrown by the power of the hunter's arm. This would be done by a sailor standing in a smaller vessel positioned strategically next to the whale in the water. It cannot avoid surfacing at regular intervals, so the sailor would remain alert in the hunting boat, waiting for it to do so.
In the modern era of whaling, harpoons either included a grenade or electricity. The electric harpoon would electrocute the whale in the water, while the grenade variety would enter into the whale's body and then detonate, causing terrible injury or the death of the animal. Modern whaling vessels used special harpoon launchers or cannons to cast the harpoon more powerfully at the whale.
In recent times, whale populations have been decimated by whaling. They reproduce only very slowly and some species gestate for up to two years. Although Japan obstinately continues to hunt a set number of animals every year, the modern trend is to outlaw this activity. So, if you are able to watch them breaching, it can be a rewarding pastime and one which you should try to participate in.
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