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I’ve always wondered about ocean mammals. Those poor dolphins and whales have never had a drink of fresh water. When I ask marine biologists, I get: their mouth
by tiahura 2y ago
I’ve always wondered about ocean mammals. Those poor dolphins and whales have never had a drink of fresh water. When I ask marine biologists, I get: their mouths are really good at sealing - related, but not quite on point, and 2 they get their fresh water from food - to which my reaction is, if I’m really thirty, no amount of salty shrimp are going to satisfy.
- kayodelycaon 2y agoHumans aren’t adapted for salt water. We use water evaporation for cooling. Our kidneys don’t minimize water usage. This adaptation is not limited to marine mammals. Jerboas (Desert rodent) get all of their water from food. Additionally, most marine mammals don’t eat a diet of shrimp. Fish are much less salty than seawater.
- mpreda 2y agoThere's also a different way of "getting water from food": methabolizing (burning) carbohidrates with oxygen produces CO2 (carbon dioxyde) and.. water. I think that desert mouse eats very dry grain (which does not contain much water), but does not need to drink water because of that by-product of metabolism.
- frickinLasers 2y agoWhat do the fish drink?
- kayodelycaon 2y agoFresh water fish need to keep salt in and salt water fish need to push it out. They do this with their gills and kidneys.