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Whales play a vital role in maintaining marine ecosystems. Their nutrient-rich feces contribute to whale pump, a process that recycles essential nutrients, boosting the growth of phytoplankton, which forms the base of the marine food chain. When whales die, their carcasses sink to the ocean floor, creating a unique deep-sea habitat known as a whale fall, which sustains marine life for decades.

Despite their importance, whales face numerous threats, including climate change, ocean pollution, ship collisions, and illegal whaling. Organizations and conservationists worldwide work tirelessly to protect whale populations through marine protected areas, anti-whaling campaigns, and habitat preservation efforts.

Whales are fully aquatic mammals that have evolved streamlined bodies, powerful tails (flukes), and blowholes for breathing. Baleen whales, such as the blue whale and humpback whale, use comb-like structures called baleen plates to filter-feed on tiny organisms like krill and plankton. Toothed whales, including the sperm whale and orca (killer whale), have teeth to hunt fish, squid, and even other marine mammals.