No, whales are not herbivores. They are carnivores.
Although whales do not eat the same meats as land animals, they are known to consume fish, squid, octopus, and other types of foods that are considered carnivorous foods.
As a land-dwelling species, many people think of animals such as humans, tigers, and bears that consume birds, cows, beef, and insects as part of their diet to be carnivores.
However, when it comes to ocean-based animals, some are confused as to whether or not certain marine animals are also considered carnivorous animals, so to clarify better what makes an animal a carnivore, we’ll offer this simple explanation.
A carnivore is any living animal, fungi, or plant that consumes meat.
It doesn’t matter what percentage of their diet consists of meat; as long as it is a part of their diet, they are considered a carnivore.
Even the Venus flytrap (a plant that consumes insects) is considered a carnivore, so yes, animals such as porpoises, whales, and dolphins are carnivores animals.
On the other hand, a herbivore survives by eating various plant life rather than meat or poultry.
Some foods herbivores are known to eat may include fruit, leaves, nectar, plants, and seeds.
Animals that live primarily herbivorous lifestyles include buffalo, cattle, deer, elephants, horses, zebras, and various birds and insects.
On the other hand, whales are carnivorous marine mammals known for consuming various food sources, such as fish, shrimp, krill, squid, octopus, and various crustaceans, among other sea life.
Killer whales (which are dolphins) have a more extensive diet than other cetacean species and are known to consume an even wider variety of foods that include marine animals such as seals, sea otters, sea lions, aquatic birds, sharks, various fish species and other marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
In addition to regular marine life, some whale species have consumed plankton and other prey forms.
However, plankton may only account for a portion of the whale’s diet.
In many cases, the consumption of plankton is simply a coincidence as the whale hunts for fish, krill, squid, and other types of prey.
The whale shark is known to consume plankton. However, these marine animals are part of the fish species; they are not whales.
Plankton is an organism that is unable to move against the water’s current.
These organisms may include animals, algae, and bacteria.
Although whales are not herbivores, it would be pretty amazing to see a massive whale (such as the blue whale) surviving on plant life alone or as a prominent part of its diet.
However, no known species of whale are capable of this feat, and it’s probably because it would be challenging for a whale to receive adequate nutrients and calories in its diet if it lived a primarily plant-based lifestyle.
Why Whales Consume other Animals
Whales are warm-blooded marine mammals that need sufficient calories to power their bodies and keep them warm.
Whales develop a thick layer of insulating fat from excess calories to thrive in cold environments.
During food shortages or migrating from one location to another, certain whale species may survive for months by living off the fat stores they’ve acquired.
If these marine mammals were to become herbivores, sustaining their daily food requirements would be tough.
There’s also the fact that plant life is usually found at the bottom of the ocean and in deep bodies of water where it may be very difficult or even impossible for some whales to dive deep enough to find a sustainable supply of plant life.
Even if they could obtain enough calories from plant life, it’s possible that they would end up consuming all of their available food supply very quickly and would end up starving to death unless they migrated to a new location.
Lastly, assuming whales tried to consume an all-plant diet, there is the possibility that the whales would not receive adequate nutrients and protein from plants, as fish and other aquatic animals may have higher degrees of fatty acids, proteins, and various nutrients.
Here is a short list that includes several herbivore and carnivore species:
Herbivore Animal Species:
- Buffalo
- Cow
- Deer
- Giraffe
- Goat
- Horse
- Monkey
- Panda
- Rabbit
- Zebra
Carnivore Animal Species:
- Bear
- Dog
- Dolphins, Porpoises, and Whales
- Eagles
- Humans
- Lions and Tigers
- Sharks
- Snakes
- Venus flytrap
- Wolves
Additional Data on Whales
As a species, whales belong to the cetacean family, composed of all whale, dolphin, and porpoise species.
When you count all of the animals in the cetacean species, there are around 80 – 90 known and recorded species.
Whales make up around half of that number, with the other half composed of dolphins and a handful of porpoises.
All species share similar physiological traits, including being warm-blooded, breathing air, giving birth to their young (rather than laying eggs), and producing milk.
All species also consume carnivorous foods such as fish, shrimp, krill, and squid.
At birth, these marine mammals survive solely on milk that they suckle from their mother’s nipples.
However, after 6 – 24 months, most species begin hunting on their own and consume regular foods.
During their nurture period, the milk these marine mammals consume is made of a thick-paste-like substance that contains fat and nutrients to help the child develop during its first years on earth.
Between the ages of 5 – 15, most cetaceans will become sexually mature and can begin mating and reproducing their offspring.
The average pregnancy period (commonly known as a gestation period) for whales lasts anywhere from 10 – 17 months, depending on the whale’s species.
Also largely dependent upon species, the average lifespan of these marine mammals can vary anywhere from 20 – 200 years.
Whales are a protected species, and any activity to hunt these marine mammals is considered illegal.
Those caught hunting whales for meat or ambergris may face steep fines and jail time.