Ocean Life
By: Courtney G.
Whales
General Description
A whale has long wing-like flippers, distinctive head knobs of varying size and a rounded outgrowth near the tip of the lower jaw. The whale can sing some very amazing songs. It can perform complex and cooperative feeding techniques. Whales are acrobats of the ocean, breaching and slapping the water. Many whales live in pods and have 2 blowholes.
Size
Whales grow to be about 52 (16 meters) feet long, weighing 30-50 tons. The females are slightly larger than males, as with all whales. The four-chambered heart of the average whale weighs 430 pounds about as much as three average adult humans.
Population
It is estimated that there is more than 10,000,000-20,000,000 whales world-wide.
Life Span
Whales have a lifespan of about 45-50 years.
Habitat
Most whales live in the surface of the ocean both in the open ocean and in the shallow waters. When not migrating they prefer shallow waters. They migrate from warm tropical waters where they breed and calve to artic waters where they eat.
Diet
Most whales are seasonal feeders and carnivores that filter feed tiny crustaceans, plankton, and small fish from the water. They are gulpers (not skimmers), filter feeders that alternately swim and then gulp a mouthful of plankton or fish.
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Shark
General Description
The shark is a streamlined swimmer and a ferocious predator with from 3,000 to 5,000 teeth at any one time. These much feared fish have a torpedo-shaped body, a pointed snout, a crescent shaped tail, and 5 gill slits.
Sizes
An average shark's length is 12-16 feet, but the largest shark on record was 23 feet long weighing about 7,000 pounds. Shark pups can be over 5 feet long at birth.
Population
It is estimated that there is more than 10,000,000-20,000,000 sharks world-wide.
Life Span
No one knows the lifespan of the shark. Some people estimate it to be about 100 years, but this has not been proven.
Habitat
Sharks have been observed all over the world.
Diet
Young sharks eat fish, rays, and other sharks. Adults eat larger prey, including sea lions, seals, small toothed whales, otters, and sea turtles. They also eat carrion or dead animals that they have found floating in the water.
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Fish
General Description
A fish is a vertebrate. It has wet, slimy scales and 2 fins and 1 or 2 tails.
Size
Fish can be any size, but most fish range from 1foot-10 feet long!
Population
The population of the fish is from about 100,000 to 100,000,000 fish! Every day about 1,000 fish are killed all over the world.
Lifespan
The lifespan of a fish is from about 1 month to 1 year.
Habitat
Fish live all around the world. They live in the ocean and in homes. Fish that are kept in homes are usually goldfish.
Diet
Fish will eat other fish, snails or krill.
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