![]() The air in their lungs is compressed by the sea's pressure as they dive. They generally dive on a full breath of air. Whales have special adaptations for diving. The sounds come from air vibrating through their complex nasal passages. ![]() Research has proven that the sounds come from deep inside their head, and not from their throat as with other mammals. This echolocation allows the whale to find food or avoid predators, even in dark or murky water. Submarines use the same method to navigate through the ocean. The sound waves bounce off an object and then return to the whale as echoes. Toothed whales make sounds that travel underwater. Scientists are still studying whether or not baleen whales use echolocation. They gulp huge amounts of seawater, and then strain out the water to catch the tiny sea creatures they eat. Baleen whales are much larger than most toothed whales and have a double blowhole on top of the head. Baleen is made up of tough, flexible strands of keratin that hang down from the top of the whale's enormous mouth. They use echolocation to find food. There are 13 baleen whale species, including the gray whale, blue whale, and humpback whale. Toothed whales have one blowhole (adapted nostril) on top of the head that divides into two nostrils inside the head. Bottlenose dolphins and killer whales are in this group as well. Whales are divided into two groups: toothed and baleen. There are 69 toothed whale species, including sperm whales, beluga whales, and narwhals. They have excellent vision, large brains, and are highly intelligent. Their specialized nose and ears have adapted to life underwater. They give birth and nurse their young in the water and live their entire lives there. Mammals of the sea: Whales come in different sizes, but they all have smooth skin, flippers, and flat tails (called flukes) that propel them through the water.
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