🥛 Whale milk
Whale milk, as thick as paste.
Whale milk is one of the fattiest in nature. According to SeaWorld, in baleen whales it can contain up to 40–50% fat; its consistency is compared to a thick paste.
A whale calf suckles right under water: the female’s teats are hidden in slit-like folds on her belly. The mother is thought to eject the milk herself so that it mixes less with the water. Thanks to the rich milk, calves grow very fast: according to SeaWorld, a nursing blue whale calf gains about 90 kg a day, and grey whales double their weight in about three months. Nursing in baleen whales lasts roughly 4–11 months.
Like true seals, many baleen whales barely eat while nursing: the females give birth in warm but food-poor waters and live off stored fat, feeding in cold, productive areas. Humans do not use whale milk, and direct measurements of its composition in large whales are rare, so many figures are generalised.
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 34.8 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 13.6 g | |
| Lactose | 1.8 g | |
| Energy | 375 kcal | |
| Calcium | no data |
Average values. Values vary a lot with breed, season, feed and stage of lactation. The bar shows the share of the maximum within this group of milks.
Sources: Zhang et al. 2018 (по Jensen 1995)
How it connects to milk
🥛 Whale milk → type of → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Whose milk
- 🐋 Whale
- A type of
- 🥛 Milk
- Part of
- 🔬 Milk of other animals
Frequently asked questions
How do baby whales drink milk underwater?
The mother’s teats are hidden in folds on her belly; the calf presses against them and drinks the thick milk right in the water.
How much fat is in whale milk?
According to various sources, about 30–50% in baleen whales — roughly ten times as much as in cow’s milk.
Similar
🥛 Llama milk · 🥛 Alpaca milk · 🥛 Musk ox milk · 🥛 Pig milk · 🥛 Elephant milk · 🥛 Polar bear milk
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- SeaWorld: Baleen whales — care of young
- Avery & Zinn 2023. Lactation strategies of pinnipeds (Animal Frontiers)