How Do Whales Survive in Salt Water?
Land animals, including humans, couldn't survive living in and drinking ocean water. Whales and other marine mammals have special adaptations that separate them from land-bound species, enabling them to survive and thrive in the world's oceans. Whale physiology makes living in oceans a necessity for these marine giants.
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Water from Food
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According to The Naked Scientists and Scientific American, whales probably don't drink much, if any, ocean water to stay hydrated. Instead, their primary source of water is likely the food they eat, including fish, smaller marine mammals and other ocean life. The salt content in the blood and bodily fluids of smaller vertebrates is about the same as that of the whale's own blood and about three times less salty than the surrounding ocean water. By getting as much water as possible from food rather than from the ocean itself, the whale's body doesn't have to work as hard to eliminate salt deposits.
Kidney Adaptations
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According to The Naked Scientists, whale kidneys are different from our own and can handle higher salt concentrations. Scientific American explains that marine mammals probably have a longer loop of Henle, the part of the kidney responsible for water absorption. This adaptation allows whales to absorb more water and produce more concentrated urine than humans and other animals that don't live in oceans.
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Cellular Biology Adapted to Saltwater
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According to Wheelock College, a whale's cellular biology and physiology ensure that it maintains the proper salt-to-water ratio in its body to sustain life. Salts diffuse from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration to achieve balance. Freshwater mammals are built so that they don't lose all of their bodies' salts to the water surrounding them and saltwater mammals, like whales, have evolved so that their bodies don't become overly saturated with the ocean's salt. Specialized cellular biology explains why some creatures have to live in freshwater, while others, like whales, are only found in salty oceans.
The Need for Buoyancy
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If you've ever gone swimming in the ocean, you've probably noticed that it's easier to float in saltwater than it is to float in a freshwater lake or in your backyard pool. Whales are massive animals and they can't breathe underwater. Because they need to go to the surface often for fresh air, whales are better suited to living in denser saltwater where they can float relatively easily without having to propel their huge bodies.
Large Food Supply Requirements
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Because whales are so big, they need a considerable amount of food. Freshwater lakes couldn't support a whale's nutritional needs. According to Learner.org, a medium-sized lake couldn't even support one whale. Even the largest lakes could only support a very small whale population, which would lead to unhealthy inbreeding. The incidence of genetic defects would be greater, compromising the species' chances of long-term survival.
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References
- Photo Credit humpback whale,humpback,whale,adolescent,mammal,ma image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
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