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The term "calf" refers to a young whale. Every two or three years, one calf is born. It can take up to a year for a woman to conceive. In many animals, nursing lasts longer than a year, and the mother and calf have a deep attachment. It takes seven to ten years for a person to reach reproductive maturity. This technique of reproduction produces a small number of offspring, but it increases their chances of survival. The impact of killing on these creatures is significant, and their numbers are slowly replenished.
Whales are a diverse and widely distributed species of ocean-dwelling cetacean ungulates. They breathe oxygen from the air, have a small bit of hair, and are warm-blooded, just like other mammals. Whales are divided into two groups, each with roughly 100 species.
The term "whale" is used in a variety of ways. Some people refer to all cetaceans, including dolphins and porpoises, as cetaceans. These people believe that because dolphins and porpoises are Cetaceans, they are also whales. Others distinguish between dolphins and porpoises: ordinary English-speaking people have never referred to them as whales unless they are really huge. There is no discernible distinction between whales and dolphins.
