5 Questions
What type of teeth do toothed whales have?
Pointed teeth
How do baleen whales feed?
By straining small prey out of the water
What is baleen made of?
Keratin
What is one way whales are threatened?
Oil and gas exploration
How can people help conserve whales?
Refraining from oil and gas exploration
Study Notes
- Cetaceans evolved from terrestrial mammals and breathe air.
- There are two types of cetaceans: toothed whales, which includes dolphins, beluga whales and narwhals, and baleen whales, such as humpback and North Atlantic right whales.
- Toothed whales, as the name suggests, have teeth – but they don’t use them for chewing! Instead, they use them to grab large prey, such as salmon, and then swallow it whole. Baleen whales, on the other hand, have baleen plates. Baleen is made of keratin (just like your fingernails), which acts as a sieve when a whale takes a big gulp of water, then pushes it out through the baleen, catching tiny prey.
- Whales have the longest migrations of any mammal and use sound to communicate.
- Cetaceans play an important role in the food web by keeping the ocean ecosystem balanced and healthy.
- Whales are mammals and have a backbone.
- Whales are intelligent and social animals.
- Whales can travel long distances and dive deep into the ocean.
- Whales play an important role in the ocean's ecosystem by eating other animals and producing oxygen.
- Whales are threatened or endangered around the world, especially due to commercial fishing, shipping, and oil and gas exploration.
- You can help conserve whales by not supporting commercial fishing, shipping, and oil and gas exploration.
Test your knowledge about whales and cetaceans with this quiz. Learn about their evolution, characteristics, behaviors, and the role they play in the ocean ecosystem. Find out how you can contribute to the conservation of these magnificent creatures.
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