Evolution of Whales
"The evolution of whales is one of the most interesting journeys.."
The ancestors of whales lived on the land about 50-60 million years ago.
They were wolf-looking animals with hooves.
They were also ancestors to hooved animals like deer, cattle and hippopotamuses - the animals today closest related to whales.
These animals were called Mesonychids and they lived in parts of today's Europe and Asia.
They lived near water and started spending more and more time in the water to catch food and avoid predators.
The more time they spent in the water, the more their bodies adapted to a life in the water: their forelegs gradually turned into flippers, they got strong, fluked tails and they gradually lost their fur at the same time as they gradually grew a layer of fat under their skins.
Their nostrils moved up on the top of their heads, and their hind legs gradually vanished as they weren't needed in the water.
After a few other forms like Ambulocetus and Rodhocetus, modern whales finally evolved about 20 million years ago.
Custom Search
Custom Search
