Final answer:
During migration, whales may lose up to a third of their body weight. They rely on their blubber for energy when not feeding as frequently. The process of weight loss during migration is comparable to animals like polar bears using stored fat during hibernation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the amount of body weight a whale loses during its great migration. Whales, much like polar bears, build up large reserves of blubber to serve as energy storage. During migrations, whales will not feed as frequently or as abundantly as they do in their feeding grounds. Consequently, they subsist largely on their stored fat, resulting in significant weight loss. This weight loss can be substantial, with some whales losing up to a third of their body weight during the migration process.
Migratory patterns are essential for many species' survival; for example, birds migrate to access food supplies, and wildebeests travel vast distances following the seasonal availability of grasslands. As for the great whales, their remarkable migrations are driven by the need to reach breeding grounds or to find temperate waters during winter. When considering whales and weight, a humpback whale averages around 40 tons, whereas a polar bear weighs about 1000 pounds. In a comparative scenario, it is calculated that it would take about 80 polar bears to match the weight of a single humpback whale.
A related concept is the use of proportions and unit analysis in weights and measures. For instance, equating a whale's weight in tons to a person's weight in pounds requires conversion, as seen in the example with Munni who miscalculated the difference between his weight and that of a whale.