How Do Whales Drink Milk Underwater?

Quick Answer:

• Instead of sucking the milk out of its mother’s feeding glands, the mother injects the milk into her baby’s mouth.
• She can accomplish this by squeezing special muscles around her feeding glands.
• This pushing action makes it possible for a baby whale to take nourishment underwater.

When you think of a mammal nursing its young you may picture a dog nursing her puppies or a mother fox nursing her kits. You may even imagine a baby giraffe getting milk from its mother. But do you ever envision a baby whale nursing its mother way out in the ocean? Just like those animals mentioned above, whales are mammals too. And yes, a mother whale nurses her baby. This brings up a basic and practical question: How do whales drink milk underwater?

Keep reading to find out how a mother whale is able to feed her baby underwater. Also, learn how long whales nurse their young, the special nutrients in a whale’s milk, and just how big a newborn whale can be!

How Do Whales Drink Milk Underwater?

A baby whale starts nursing immediately after it’s born. The natural instincts of a baby whale combined with scent help it to know where to nudge its mother when it’s hungry for milk. A mother whale has what are called mammary slits. These are folds of skin that protect the feeding glands or nipples, of a mother whale. A baby whale nudges this area when it is ready to drink milk.

Here’s how whales drink milk underwater: Instead of sucking the milk out of its mother’s feeding glands, the mother injects the milk into her baby’s mouth. She is able to accomplish this by squeezing special muscles around her feeding glands.

Other mammal babies like kittens and puppies nurse by drawing the milk out through their mother’s nipples. A mother whale does the opposite. She pushes the milk into her baby’s mouth instead of the baby drawing the milk out. This pushing action done by female whales is what makes it possible for a baby whale to take nourishment underwater.

How Does a Baby Whale Avoid Taking in Water as It Nurses?

While nursing underwater, you may wonder how a baby whale can take in its milk without taking in a lot of seawater right along with it. The reason a baby whale is able to nurse without taking in water has to do with its tongue. A baby is able to curl its tongue into a tube-like shape that fits with its mother’s feeding gland, or nipple. This unique fit doesn’t allow anything but milk to go into a baby whale’s mouth.

How Long Do Baby Whales Nurse?

The answer to this question varies among whale species. A toothed whale may nurse her baby anywhere from one to three years.

Alternatively, a bowhead whale continues nursing her baby for six to twelve months. A beluga whale calf nurses from its mother for 20 months to two years.

Some female whales only reproduce every two years while others reproduce every five years. This makes it possible for a mother whale to continue nursing her baby for an extended period of time.

Why is a Mother’s Milk So Important to a Baby Whale?

The milk of a mother whale contains a lot of fat. In fact, some whale milk has 35 to 50 percent fat. This high-fat content is important to the survival of a baby whale. The fat supplies a baby whale with the energy it needs to continually move through the water with its mother.

A mother’s milk helps a baby to develop a thick layer of blubber that will keep it warm in cold ocean waters. In addition, milk is important for bone development, and it gives a baby whale the nutrients it needs to nurture a healthy immune system.

When Are Baby Whales Weaned?

Once again, the answer to this question depends on the species of the whale. A humpback whale baby is weaned at around seven months. It begins to eat small fish and other sea creatures. Alternatively, a beluga whale baby starts to eat solid food at around 12 to 18 months old.

Keep in mind that despite being able to eat small sea creatures, most baby whales continue to nurse as well. The nutrients of its mother’s milk along with solid food add to the strong development of a baby whale.

Why Can’t Humans Drink Whale Milk?

Whale milk is designed to be ingested by whale calves and while it may not really be suitable for human consumption in its natural state, there are those that are looking into how realistic it is to sell it. However, there are a variety of reasons why whales’ milk should be left to whales. Some of these are:

• Fat content – whale milk has an extremely high content of fat, made up of 35 to 50% fat, and also comes in very large amounts. A blue whale produces almost 441 pounds of milk per day. Should you ‘drink’ this milk, you will most likely see an increase in your body weight.
• Consistency – these mammals have milk that is incredibly thick often likened to butter or toothpaste. It is made like this for a reason as it needs to pass through water without disintegrating.
• Taste – whale’s milk is said to taste like a combination of castor oil, fish, liver, and milk of magnesia.

There have been instances where whales’ milk has been turned into cheese, and this is where its fat content can be an asset. Thanks to this high fat, the consistency has been creamy. It is said to have a salty, sea taste, reminiscent of fresh oysters.

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