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Ambergris in dried form. Ambergris (/ ˈ æ m b ər ɡ r iː s / or / ˈ æ m b ər ɡ r ɪ s /; Latin: ambra grisea; Old French: ambre gris), ambergrease, or grey amber is a solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish colour produced in the digestive system of sperm whales. [1]
Spermaceti / s p ər m ə ˈ s iː t i ˌ-ˈ s ɛ-/ is a waxy substance found in the head cavities of the sperm whale (and, in smaller quantities, in the oils of other whales). Spermaceti is created in the spermaceti organ inside the whale's head. This organ may contain as much as 1,900 litres (500 US gal) of spermaceti. [1]
United States whale oil and sperm oil imports in the 19th century Try pots in Ilulissat, Greenland. The main use of whale oil was for illumination and machine lubrication. [18] Cheaper alternatives to whale oil existed, but were inferior in performance and cleanliness of burn. As a result, whale oil dominated the world for both uses.
The sperm whale or cachalot [a] (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator.It is the only living member of the genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia.
Turkey vultures will vomit to dispel any disturbing animal. They can propel their vomit up to 10 feet (3.0 m). [4] The European roller, a much smaller bird found in parts of Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, uses vomit in a different way. A baby European roller will vomit a foul-smelling orange liquid onto itself to turn away a predator.
The spermaceti organ in sperm whales is shaped like an elongated barrel and sits on top of the whale's melon. Historically, the spermaceti oil found within it was used in a variety of products – including lamp oils, candles, and lubricants – providing the economic basis for the sperm whaling industry. [ 2 ]
"Whale pump" – the role played by whales in nutrient recycling in the oceans (based on Fig. 1 of Roman & McCarthy (2010) [1]) Whale feces, the excrement of whales, has a vital role in the ecology of oceans, [2] earning whales the title of "marine ecosystem engineers." This significant ecological role stems from the nutrients and compounds ...
Humpback whale breach sequence. A breach or a lunge is a leap out of the water, also known as cresting. The distinction between the two is fairly arbitrary: cetacean researcher Hal Whitehead defines a breach as any leap in which at least 40% of the animal's body clears the water, and a lunge as a leap with less than 40% clearance. [2]