How Whales Manage To Drink Fresh Water
By: NDTVNewsDesk
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Whales get fresh water primarily by extracting it from their food (krill, fish) through digestion, producing "metabolic water".
Image: Pexels
Some species can drink seawater and use highly efficient kidneys to filter out the salt, a crucial adaptation for marine life.
Image: Pexels
Their bodies are adept at recycling water and minimising loss, so they don't need to drink much.
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Their kidneys are specialised to handle salt intake when they swallow seawater during feeding.
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When whales break down fats and proteins from their prey, water is released as a byproduct, similar to humans.
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Their prey already contains fresh water, which the whale absorbs during digestion.
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Unlike land mammals, whales don't lose much water through sweating or breathing heavily.
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Their entire physiology is geared towards getting hydration from their diet, making them masters of water conservation in a salty environment.
Image: Pexels
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