Whales

Whales, are interesting animals.

They are big sea animals that look like fish. They have bodies that are made for swimming. Whales have a lot of body fat that helps them keep warm. It also makes their bodies smooth. These animals move well through the water.

But they are not fish. A fish's tail grows up and down. A whale's tail grows from side to side. Whales don't lay eggs like fish. A baby whale grows inside the mother's body before it is born. Baby whales also have hair and drink milk from their mother. A fish takes in air with water. A whale must take in air alone. It does this through a hole. This opening is in the top of its head. So it must put the top of its head out of the water from time to time. Even so, many whales can stay under water for a long, long time.

Most whales are very big animals. One kind called the blue whale is the biggest animal that has ever lived. Blue whales may grow up to 100 feet long. Some kinds of whales are much smaller. These grow only 10 to 15 feet long.

Whales can't see or smell very well. But hearing and feeling let them know what is going on around them. Some whales can make sounds. These sounds hit against things under the water. Then the whale hears the sounds coming back at it. This is how it sees things. It knows where and how far away these things are.