Mammals regularly need to breathe and for this reason water is not a very convenient environment for them. In a whale, which is a sea mammal, however, this problem is handled with a breathing system far more efficient than that of many land-dwelling animals. Whales breathe out one at a time discharging 90% of the air they use. Thus, they need to breathe only at very long intervals. At the same time, they have a highly concentrated substance called "myoglobin" that helps them store oxygen in their muscles. With the help of these systems, gin-back whale, for instance, can dive as deep as 500 meters and swim for 40 minutes without breathing at all. The nostrils of the whale, on the other hand, are placed on its back unlike land-dwelling mammals so that it can easily breathe. Next : The Design in The Gnat Send Comments and Suggestions to mkaramete@usa.net |
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