The mouth and the esophagus—the passage for food—are completely separate from the trachea. A muscular flap called the larynx acts as a gate, sealing the entrance to the trachea when the whale opens its mouth to feed.
How Whales Breathe Automatically While Swimming, Even Without Using Their Mouths
Connection to the Lungs An important distinction to understand is the pathway of air. Among the most persistent questions regarding marine mammals is whether whales can breathe through their mouths.
Whales are air-breathing mammals that rely exclusively on their blowholes, which are specialized nostrils located on the top of their heads, to take in oxygen. The short answer is no, they cannot.
How Whales Breathe Automatically While Swimming
The spout of water often seen in documentaries is not water being inhaled or expelled from the mouth; it is condensation and spray released from the blowhole as warm, moist air meets the colder atmosphere. The Blowhole: A Specialized Respiratory Opening The blowhole is the cornerstone of whale respiration and functions as a modified nostril.
More About Can whales breathe through their mouths
Looking at Can whales breathe through their mouths from another angle can help expand the discussion and give readers a second clear paragraph under the same section.
More perspective on Can whales breathe through their mouths can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
