Whether or not whales cry it depends on what you mean by crying.
Unlike humans, whales do not have tear ducts used by humans and some land animals to cry.
However, they have tear glands near their eyes, which allows them to secrete a greasy tear-like substance to keep their eyes well lubricated and to remove debris from around their eyes, so in the traditional sense of what it means to cry, whales do not cry.
Whales do, however, vocalize their emotions and may moan, whine or produce crying sounds or sad whale songs when they feel sad, alone, or upset, which allows other whales and marine mammals to know how they think and gives them the ability to express their emotions whether they are alone or around other whales.
Some whales, such as the blue whale, can produce deep vocal sounds so loud they can be heard from miles away.
Whales can often be seen crying or moaning when they have recently lost a loved one or feel alone and haven’t found a friend or partner to connect with.
A whale’s cries can sometimes be confused for mating calls as some species of whale make long, deep melodic tones known as “mating/whale songs” when they need a mating partner.
These deep moaning sounds are often compared to music and may exhibit more extended moans between pauses than when a whale is crying.
While little is known about whales crying, it is known that the sounds whales create when they are sad, depressed, or in need of attention are akin to that of a human crying for the same reasons.
Since whale language isn’t as developed as humans’, their cries and other forms of vocal communication are even more critical in identifying how they feel and letting others know their needs.
Aside from moans and cries, whales can communicate with one another in many different ways.
Some ways whales communicate with each other (aside from using sound) include spy hopping, lob tailing, breaching, fin slapping, and charging.
These forms of communication can be used to let other whales know of nearby threats, that they’ve found food, as a territorial gesture, an act of playfulness, and several other things.
The vocal portion of the whale’s language is considered highly complex and sophisticated.
Researchers have spent decades trying to understand what whales are talking about when they communicate with one another, as their communication can change dramatically depending on the activity they are involved in.
Researchers are so hopeful about learning the whale’s language that they hope to one day be able to produce these sounds using technology and have an entire conversation with the cetacean species.
To sum everything up, whales do not cry in the way humans are familiar with because whales lack the tear ducts necessary for crying, and while they possess tear glands, these glands are used to secrete a greasy liquid to keep their eyes clean and free from debris.
Although whales don’t produce tears, they are known to moan, whine and vocalize their emotions when upset and use this to vent their feelings and let other whales understand how they are feeling.