
Tail sailing refers to the action of
whale
Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully Aquatic animal, aquatic placental mammal, placental marine mammals. As an informal and Colloquialism, colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea ...
s lifting their tails clear of the water for long periods of time. The process is rarely observed by humans, and the precise motivation for this phenomenon is unknown. It is thought that whales either undertake this activity to catch the wind and 'sail' through the water, or as a method to cool down. A third theory suggests that the whale is feeding close to the sea floor.
Scientists believe that tail-sailing is fairly common amongst certain species, such as the
Southern right whale
The southern right whale (''Eubalaena australis'') is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales belonging to the genus ''Eubalaena''. Southern right whales inhabit oceans south of the Equator, between the latitudes of 20� ...
.
References
Whales
Cetology
Mammal behavior
Aquatic locomotion
External links
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Amazing siting by youtuber YBS Youngbloods