Subject: Re: perplexing questions
Kim Marshall (kimm@oceanalliance.org)
Mon, 24 May 1999 11:11:50 -0400 (EDT)
Response: Hello Jennifer, since you have several questions I am going to
refer you to the following sources to find the information you are looking
for. First try WhaleNet's How to Find page at
http://whale.wheelock.edu/howtofind.html and more specific information try
WhaleNet's pages on
Species/Classification/Behavior information at
http://whale.wheelock.edu/whalenet-stuff/classifications.html
Good luck! Kim
Questions: 1. If orcas are at the top of the marine food chain, why
aren't there millions of them i.e. what natural occurence keeps the killer
whale population in check? 2. Why are blue whales so large? I mean,
there must be some positive aspect about being so big? The only thing I
can think of is to scare off predators but humans and killer whales still
hunt them....Can you think of any specific advantage the blues have for
being so massive? and finally, 3. What is the oldest known marine
mammal currently living in the ocean? My guess is the hammerhead shark...
Kim Marshall-Tilas
Whale Conservation Institute/Ocean Alliance
191 Weston Road
Lincoln, MA 01773
(781) 259-0423
fax: 259-0288
website: http://www.oceanalliance.org