AY Honors/Marine Mammals/Answer Key

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1. Be able to identify three of each of the following and know where each is found. Know at least one by scientific name from each group:

a. Toothed Whales

b. Baleen Whales

c. True Seals

d. Eared Seals

e. Dolphins/Porpoises

f. Walruses (one kind)

g. Sea Otter (one kind)

h. Manatees

2. Know and locate the story of how God used a whale in Bible times.

3. What is the largest mammal in the sea?

Largest is the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

4. Explain the following words:

a. Breaching

Breaching is when a whale leaps into the air and falls on their backs. There are a variety of explanations about why different whales and dolphins perform this artful leap. Some researchers have proposed it may be a behavior to dislodge parasites off of the whale's back, while others have interpreted it as a form of communication. Some believe the whale is just having fun!

b. Echolocation

c. Spyhopping

Spyhopping is when a dolphin and whales are in a vertical stance so they can look at their surroundings above the water. The whale slowly rises straight out of the water, until its eye is above the water surface. After a few moments, the whale sinks back down. Again, we cannot be sure why whales spyhop, but they may be coming up to take a look around.

d. Baleen

e. Pod

f. Harem

g. Plankton

5. Draw a food chain of two different marine mammals.

6. What is the purpose of blubber?

7. Know two reasons that seals are hunted.

8. Describe why seals and dolphins can move so quickly in the water.

9. Do one of the following:

a. Take a trip to an aquarium. Learn about and observe the daily feeding schedule of a marine mammal.

b. Write a 500-word report on a marine mammal. Include pictures.

c. Write a 500-word report on current events involving marine mammals and their environment and how they could be endangered.

References