Wide World of Whales

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There are two types of whales and they eat different things. Toothed whales have teeth, which they use to catch fish and other sea creatures.

Beluga whales live in the cold waters near the North Pole. These smiling whales are born dark gray or brown, and turn white as they get older.

Did you know that dolphins and porpoises are whales, too? They’re the smallest members of the whale family!

Killer whales, also called orcas, are known to hunt for food in packs just like wolves. These whales have sharp teeth to catch and eat fish, seals, and even other whales.

Baleen whales don’t have teeth. They have bristly, comb-like baleen plates that work like giant filters. The whale gulps a mouthful of ocean, then uses its tongue to push the water out through its baleen. What’s left are all the tiny animals and plants that were in the water. Yum!

The huge gray whale is an incredibly strong swimmer. Each year it swims from its breeding grounds off Mexico to its feeding grounds in Alaska, a round trip of about 12,000 miles.

Humpback whales have very long front flippers. The males are famous for singing long, complicated underwater songs. You can even download their songs from the internet!