Senses

Same Sensory Organs as Humans

Whales have all the senses generally found in land mammals, with the exception of smell. The tongue features taste buds that might be used to taste food, but also to monitor the marine environment by analyzing chemicals in the water. The skin of cetaceans consists of 80% water and is very sensitive to touch, especially the area around the blowhole.  

Echolocation

Whales have developed a sensory system, based on hearing, which is called echolocation. It is a specialized type of communication, in which an animal sends information to itself. Echolocation is used to navigate, hunt, communicate, and find each other in the vastness of the ocean. To echolocate, the whales release sound waves or clicks, and listen for the echoes that are reflected back from surrounding objects, which are then analyzed by the brain. The time it takes for the echoes to return tells the animals how far away the object is.

Whale Sounds 

The sounds produced vary considerably in type, frequency, and strength. The clicks and whistles of dolphins, used for communication within the group, identify species and even individuals. Sperm whales produce sound patterns known as "coda" and orcas have distinctive "dialects" that distinguish family groups.