Whale of a Tale: Fun Facts About Whales

Welcome home Whale of a Santa: our latest Product of the Week and festive seafarer! Whale of a Santa is the perfect big friend for your big dog. The Whale of a Santa may just come and go without a trace to leave holiday cheer in his wake just like the real Santa.

Whales are beautiful creatures full of mysteries from the deep. They deserve some extra love and what better way to share a smile than share a few fun facts about whales with friends? Learn more below and be sure to tell us if you learned something new!

Whales are Mammals

Did you know: whales are mammals? Contrary to belief, they’re not fish at all but actually the largest mammal to roam (or swim!) the earth. The Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the biggest animal on the planet, weighing up to 400,000 pounds (approximately 33 elephants) and reaching up to 98 feet in length.

Baleen or Toothed? Dolphin or Whale?

All whales can be divided into two groups: baleen whales and toothed whales. Baleen whales, like blue whales and humpbacked whales, have fibrous bone plates in their mouths to filter out inedible material and consume huge quantities of krill, plankton, and crustaceans.

Toothed whales — orcas, beluga whales, and sperm whales — have teeth that enable them to feed on larger prey such as fish and squid. Dolphins and porpoises are also considered whales because they have teeth. And: orcas are actually dolphins! They’re the largest members of the dolphin family.

Cool Fact: Humpback whales don’t eat for most of the year! Humpback whales in the Southern Hemisphere live off their fat reserves for 5 to 7 months each year. This is because they migrate from their tropical breeding grounds in the Southern hemisphere to even further south in the Antarctic.​

Whales Have A “Melon” On Their Heads

No, it’s not a cantaloupe or an actual melon, but toothed whales have a large orb of tissue on their heads which allows them to call out to other whales and sing their whale song. This helps with their echolocation and communication.

We like to think that Whale of a Santa has a Santa hat on his melon so he can hone in on holiday cheer and happiness more easily!

Welcome Home, Whale of a Santa!

Whale of a Santa has made the long journey to your home to spread some cheer this Christmas. The perfect gift from under the sea, under the tree! This majestic mammal is one friend you won’t want to leave behind for the holidays. Just look at that smile and tell us otherwise.

With a super soft exterior and un-stuffed interior with liners that have a zipper for filling in a snap, Whale of a Santa is a great friend to welcome home for the holidays. Available in Large & Super Sized, we know you’ll have a whale of a time together!