GRAY WHALES Meaning and
Definition
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Gray whales, scientifically known as Eschrichtius robustus, are large marine mammals belonging to the family Eschrichtiidae. They are characterized by their distinctive gray coloration and the presence of visible white patches or "callosities" on their skin, caused by accumulated barnacles, whale lice, and other parasites.
These magnificent creatures hold the record for the longest migration undertaken by any mammal, spanning over 10,000 miles. They primarily inhabit the eastern and western North Pacific Ocean, with separate populations in the eastern and western parts. Gray whales are well-known for their yearly migration, where they travel from cold feeding grounds in the Arctic regions to warm breeding and calving grounds in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico.
Physically, gray whales have a robust, streamlined body shape, reaching lengths of up to 49 feet and weighing around 30-40 tons. They possess a series of grooves on their throat, known as "throat pleats," which expand during feeding by allowing the mouth to expand and engulf vast quantities of sediment and small prey from the ocean floor.
Feeding mainly on small crustaceans, such as amphipods and mysids, gray whales employ a unique feeding technique called "bottom feeding." Utilizing their baleen plates, they filter out sediments and water, trapping the prey and swallowing them before expelling the excess water through their baleen.
Gray whales are considered a species of least concern in terms of conservation status, with their populations recovering from near extinction due to historic whaling. However, they still face various threats, including entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation, vessel collisions, and climate change-related impacts on their feeding and breeding grounds. Efforts are underway to protect and conserve these
Common Misspellings for GRAY WHALES
- fray whales
- vray whales
- bray whales
- hray whales
- yray whales
- tray whales
- geay whales
- gday whales
- gfay whales
- gtay whales
- g5ay whales
- g4ay whales
- grzy whales
- grsy whales
- grwy whales
- grqy whales
- grat whales
- grag whales
- grah whales
- grau whales
- graywhales
Etymology of GRAY WHALES
The word "Gray whales" comes from the combination of the adjective "gray" and the noun "whales".
"Gray" is derived from the Old English word "grǣg", which refers to the color gray. This term has been used since the 14th century to describe the hue between black and white.
"Whales" originated from Old English "hwæl" or "hwal", which referred to large marine creatures. In various Germanic languages, the word has similar roots, cognates, or derivatives. The term "whale" has been commonly used to describe these enormous sea mammals since the Middle English period, around the 13th century.
So, collectively, "Gray whales" simply describes a specific species of whales known for their gray coloration.
Similar spelling words for GRAY WHALES
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