How long does a baby whale nurse?
A. It really depends on what kind of whale you’re talking about! Among the baleen whales, nursing periods range from 4 months for the Minke Whale to an estimate of 12 months for the Right Whale.The toothed whales and dolphins nurse for longer periods of time, in general. Harbour porpoises may nurse for 8 months, while the Beluga whale may nurse for 20-24 months. There is even evidence that some juvenile whales may continue to suckle for many years. BACK TO WHALE INDEX OR ANSWER FILE Sexing Whales – Received from Pam Allen in Granbury, Texas Q: How do you tell if a whale is a male or female? A: To tell a male from a female whale you must look closely at the underside of the whale. Both males and females have a genital and anal slits, but in males, the two slits are further apart. Females also have two small mammary (milk) slits on either side of their genital slit. When the mother whales are feeding their young their nipples will stick out of the mammary slits. BACK TO WHALE INDEX OR AN
