Introduction to Whales
History and Characteristics
Whales are very valuable mammals. The pattern of exploitation has changed over the years as different species have become the focus of the whalers, pushing several species to the brink of extinction. There are important aspects of the biology of whales that have caused them historically to be so valuable and which, alongside certain technological developments, explain the history of their destruction. Many whales are very big — a stranded or hunted whale can provide a substantial quantity of meat and/or oil. (The vast insulating "energy store" of the blubber provides most of the oil.) Many whales are highly migratory…
