By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
It was all things whales at the Westwood Public Library (WPL) as the Whalemobile made an exciting visit. The day consisted of four different event times, two for the little ones and two for the older children.
The star of each show was Nile, the life-sized inflatable humpback whale. This 43 foot inflatable represents Nile, the adult female humpback whale that lives in the North Atlantic (NA). The Whalemobile website went on to state, “In the Western NA, humpbacks are named after marks on their tails. Nile has a large black line on the left side of her tail that looks like the Nile River. She was born in 1987 to a whale named Mars. Mars was first sighted in 1979; we aren't sure how old she is because she wasn't seen as a calf. Mars has returned to the coast of Massachusetts with at least 12 different calves (including Nile) over the past 40 years and counting. Nile herself has been a mom seven times, with her most recent calf in 2022.”
Leading each event was Whalemobile Educator Extraordinaire Kristin Daley. At the start of each presentation, Daley inflated Nile as the kiddos were beaming with amazement. After going over some of the rules, children were invited to step inside of this inflatable and learn all about the anatomy of a humpback whale.
Once everyone was settled inside, Daley went over the outside parts of the whales, including their skin, blubber, eyes and more. She then moved on to the whales inside anatomy featuring their strong muscles, lungs, heart, stomachs, teeth, etc. Included inside the inflatable whale was a diagram of each of these organs that Daley used to help explain each of them.
Throughout the entire presentation, Daley discussed some super interesting facts about whales, including that they have three stomachs and a heart that weighs close to that of a small car. Towards the end, Daley passed around some whale related items including teeth, bones and the whale's main food source, krill. Before passing these around, Daley explained that they are rather fragile items and to handle them with great care.
As the young attendees exited the inflatable, they were welcome to take photos with Nile. Parents and guardians could be seen snapping away many different photos, most of which were taken up by Nile’s head.
It can be said with ease that this engaging and interactive learning experience was an incredible time for all of those in attendance. The Whalemobile website went on to state, “Humans present both the greatest threat AND the only hope for whales. Children, as our future decision-makers, will play a pivotal role in conservation efforts. The Whalemobile serves as a tool to empower the next generation of ocean advocates, creating a future where humans and whales can coexist harmoniously.”
