|
There are many types of whales. Some whales eat krill and plankton which
are tiny, shrimp-like animals. Other whales eat fish. The sperm whale
loves to eat giant squid. Killer whales eat fish, and sometimes even eat
seals and other whales. The blue whale is the largest animal in the world.
It can grow up to 120 ft. long, and can weigh up to 170 tons.
Since whales and dolphins are mammals, they cannot breathe under water.
They must come to the surface to breathe air. They breathe through a blowhole,
or nostrils, on the top of their head. Babies are born under water and
must be pushed to the surface, by the mother, so that they can take a
breath. |
|
Whales and dolphins also look different from many other mammals because
they don't have fur. Although, they do have a sparse covering of hair.
The circulatory and respiratory systems have adapted to living in water.
Whales and dolphins can dive deep in the water on a single breath.
Whales and dolphins also have a highly developed brain. They are considered
to be very intelligent.
Dolphins, and some whales, can use echolocation to find food and to identify
objects around them. They make loud clicking and squeaking sounds that
bounce off objects and echo back to the dolphin. This echo tells the dolphin
about the nearby object. |
