Whales - Facts | Blubber

Whale Blubber

Whale blubber is oil rich, consists of hypodermis and covers the whole body, except for the appendages of the whale. It comprises up to 50% of the body mass of some marine mammals, and ranges from a couple of inches thick in smaller whales, to more than a foot thick on larger whales, such as the Right and Bowhead whales. This, however, does not mean larger whales retain heat more effectively, as the thickness of a whale's blubber does not significantly affect heat retention or loss. The whale's ability to retain heat is to be found in the water and lipid concentration of blubber, as water reduces the heat-retaining capacities, while the lipids increase this capability. Blubber is different from other forms of adipose tissue, which allows it to serve as a thermal insulator, which makes blubber essential for thermoregulation. Blubber is also more vascularized (or richer in blood vessels) than other adipose tissue. This whale information has been gathered from multiple and lengthy studies regarding whales and their habitats.

Blubber has several different functions. It is the primary location of fat on some animals and is necessary for storing energy. It is particularly important for species that feed and breed in different parts of the ocean, as during these periods the species are operating on a metabolism based on fat stores.

Whale blubber has a great advantage over fur. Although fur can retain heat by holding pockets of air, these air pockets will be expelled under pressure, when diving for instance. Blubber, however, does not compress under pressure. It is so effective that some whales can live in temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. While diving in cold water, the blood vessels covering the blubber constrict and decrease blood flow, thus increasing its efficiency as an insulator. Blubber can also aid in buoyancy and streamlines the body because of the highly organized, complex collagenous network that supports the non-circular cross-sections of cetaceans.

Blubber has formed an important part of the diet of Inuit and other Northern people due to its high energy value. It contains large amounts of Vitamin E, selenium and other anti-oxidants. In Greenland, for example, where there are 57 000 residents, no deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease have occurred since 1970. The average 70 year-old Inuit, who follows a diet rich in whale and seal blubber, has arteries as elastic as that of a 20 year-old Danish person.

One of the main reasons for the initial success of the whaling trade was the collection and use of whale blubber, which was made into oil. This substance was then used in the manufacture of soap, leather and cosmetics. It was also used in candles as wax and in oil lamps for fuel. A Blue Whale can produce up to 50 tons of this substance, which made these whales highly prized and eventually led to strict conservation laws.