|
Whales off the Coast
of Maine
   
Whales are huge animals that look very much like fish.
However, whales are definitely not fish. They belong to the group
of animals called mammals. Dogs, monkeys, elephants,
and human beings are examples of other mammals. Mammals have highly
developed brains and are the most intelligent animals in the world.
One particular type of whale is the largest of all animals
on Earth. Others are only three to five meters long, still pretty
big for a sea creature. You will learn more about whales as you investigate
the selected sites.
Some common facts about whales are:
-
A whale's tail is horizontal as opposed the tail of a fish
which is vertical.
-
Whales have lungs just like us and must surface to breathe.
Some whales can hold their breath for over an hour.
-
Just as any other mammal, whales give birth to live young
.
-
Baby whales nurse by drinking mother's milk produced by the
mother whale's body. Most fish, on the other hand lay eggs and don't feed
their young.
-
Whales, just like other mammals, are warm-blooded.
Their body temperature remains about the same at all times. Fish
are cold-blooded. Their body temperatures are the same as the temperature
of the water they are in.
You will need to use the following sites to investigate and
learn about the many facets of whales, the products made from them, the
many types of whales that still exist, the men that hunt them (past and
present), and what is being done in order to insure the continued existence
of these animals.
Selected sites:
The above sites are there to assist you in your investigation.
Many of the sites link to yet other sites so you will have to remember
to bookmark any sites that you find useful so that you can refer to them
when necessary.
.
|
|