❓ why
Why do whales have blowholes on top of their heads?
MammalsEvolution
Quick Answer
Whales have blowholes on top of their heads because they are mammals that breathe air but live mostly underwater. The top placement lets them breathe quickly at the surface without lifting their whole head.
The Full Story
Whales descended from land mammals, so they still need lungs and must surface to breathe. Over evolutionary time, their nostrils shifted from the front of the face to the top of the head, forming a blowhole. This makes surfacing much more efficient because the whale can take in air and disappear again with minimal movement. In species with one blowhole, such as most toothed whales, the opening is a single nostril; baleen whales have two.
Key Facts
1.Whales are air-breathing mammals
2.Most toothed whales have 1 blowhole; baleen whales have 2
3.Blowholes allow quick breathing at the surface
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why whales breathe through holes on top of their heads"