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EnchantedLearning.com ALL ABOUT WHALES! |
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| What is a Whale? | Whale Information Sheets | Anatomy and Behavior | Extreme Whales | Whale Myths | Whale Evolution | Whale Classification | Whale Glossary | Whale Activities | Whale Index |
Do you know the answers to these whale questions? Don't rely on popular images from whales in movies or cartoons! They're frequently wrong and misleading.
- Are all whales gigantic?
- Are whales a type of fish?
- Can whales breathe under water?
1. Not all whales are gigantic.
There are plenty of small and medium-sized whales. The smallest whale is the dwarf sperm whale, which is 8.5 feet long (2.6 m)!
2. No, whales are mammals. Here is a brief comparison of whales and fish:
| . | WHALES | FISH |
| Breathing | breathe air through blowholes | breathe water through gills |
| Swimming | flukes (tail) move up and down | tail moves left and right |
| Skin | hair (not very much, though) | scales |
| Young | live-born young | most fish lay eggs |
| Care of Young | nurse, protect, and teach their young | none, usually |
| Thermal regulation | warm-blooded | cold-blooded |
For a printable activity on Whales vs. Fish, click here.
3. No, whales cannot breathe underwater; they breathe air at the surface. They can, however, dive for extended amounts of time, up to about an hour. Sperm whales are the deepest divers and can stay submerged the longest.
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