Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Charles darwins theory of evolution by natural
charles darwin and the scientific evolution
Charles darwins theory of evolution by natural
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Charles darwins theory of evolution by natural
SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALE An English naturalist Charles Darwin (1802-1882) developed a theory of biological evolution. He studied variation in plants and animals during his five years’ voyage around the world in the 19th century. Darwin studied hundreds of species, which he researches variations between locations. His theory states that all species of organism arise and develop through natural selection. Natural selection is the process of organisms that adapt to their surrounding environment, which tend to survive and produce more offspring. Killer whales are remarked to have evolutionary links from land dwelling organisms, millions of years ago. This paper will display the evolution and natural selection of the killer whale. SCIENTIFIC NAME Orcinus Orca CLASSIFICATION The Killer Whale is a part of the toothed whale (odontoceti) suborder. The toothed whale suborder is consisted exclusively of porpoises, whales and dolphins that are born with teeth, instead of baleen plates. The Killer Whale is the largest animal in the dolphin family and is the only known to attack sharks, whales and other marine mammals. Scientific Classification o Kingdom: Animalia- This kingdom is characterised by eukaryotic and heterotrophic organisms, they …show more content…
Their dorsal fin is extremely long, tampered and pointed in a triangular shape or rounded and curved towards the end. The skull is oval shaped and the beak is extremely short and rounded at the end. The killer whale’s jaw is powerful with teeth that are able to tear apart flesh of their prey. They can withstand the jolting, wiggling and hurtling movements of prey that are trying to escape. The killer whale is born with a single blow hole instead of two. Their flippers are paddle shaped with rounded ends and flukes are tapered back and pointed at the end resembling to a triangle/pyramid
Robert L. Pitman. "Whalewatcher: Killer Whale: The top, top Predator ." Journal of the American Cetacean Society (2011): 2. Journal.
Scientists had some idea to the evolutionary process of whales. “It has always been clear that aquatic cetaceans must have evolved from terrestrial mammals and returned to the water, and the forelimbs of recent cetaceans still have the same general pattern as that of land mammals.” (Walking with Whales) It was known fact that land mammals and whales were related. However, the change from ancient whales to modern whales is drastic.
“… building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn’t be large enough for a six-ton male killer whale such as Tilikum, an animal capable of swimming 100 miles a day,” states an anonymous whale expert. Whales have been in captivity since 1861 when P.T. Barnum displayed the first live whale that was captured in Canada. However, Barnum had no idea how to care for the mammal and it died after only a week in captivity. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Being up close with killer whales could give us some clues about how they interact with each other, including physical behavior, their dialect, and how their pods work together as a family unit. However, what we are finding is that whales who belong in the wild are suffering in captivity. Killer whales have no record of ever harming a human being in the wild. In captivity, there have been many incidents of killer whales harming or even killing their trainers. What would cause them to do this in captivity, but not in the wild? They have been known to resort to aggression toward themselves and each other, in what scientist believe to be a stress induced behavior. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Evidence against having these wild animals in captivity is increasing and we need reevaluate the value of capturing and holding killer whales for our educational purposes, enjoyment, and profit.
Killer whales are one of the most fascinating displays of ocean life. The killer whale has characteristics that are important to its survival in the ocean. It is interesting to know that killer whales have a plentiful diet. It is astounding to see how killer whales behave in the ocean. I plan to tell you about the killer whale, its characteristics, its diet, and its behavior in the ocean as well as the predation of the orca.
Orcas, or killer whales are majestic giants of the sea. They are actually the largest type of dolphin. They have long black bodies with distinct white patches near their eyes. A killer whale can be up to 32 feet or more in length, and weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Females are a bit smaller, but live longer (Gorman). The name “killer whale” apparently came not because it is a vicious whale, but because it preys on whales. They do not have any natural predators, and they are considered the “top dog” of the ocean. Not even the great white shark stands a chance against these superb killers. “Unlike sharks, killer whales are cautious hunters, sometimes spending hours harassing a 1,000-pound sea lion so it can easily be drowned” (Francis). Orcas use many hunting tactics that are unique to their species, which is what makes them invincible.
Whales living in captivity become aggravated and have been known to take out anger on themselves by self harming. In the pools they live in, metal bars are placed in between the pools to prevent the killer whales from swimming to another pool. On several occurrences, the whales have attempted to bite and break the metal bars. This leaves the whales with broken teeth and a risk of infection. Infections in killer whales can lead to death in many cases. If a whale gets an infection, they have to be taken out of the pool and placed into another pool by themselves to prevent any problems with other killer whales they live with. In many cases, whales with infections need serious care from whale specialists.
very sickle shaped dorsal fin. Even though the blue whale is large and seems easy to document,
The body shape of a killer whale is streamlined and round at both ends. This characteristic is quite energy saving for swimming. Compared to whale shapes, this body shape makes the whale faster. (SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment).
Orcas, also known as killer whales, are amazingly intelligent and are a top predator, much like humans. However, when the top predator of the ocean collides with the top predator of land, the situation can become fatal for both humans and the whales. Holding these incredibly massive marine animals in captivity is not only inhumane and detrimental to the whale’s health, but also a potentially fatal activity for humans to participate in.
As shown in the figure A, a blue whale has a mottled bluish with broad flat head and a small dorsal fin located near the tail. Figure C furthers shows the morphology of a blue whale. A blue whale can have about “320 black baleen plates in the mouth, 2 blowholes, and many blue-gray white spots” (ZoomWhale). A blue whale is toothless, and this can be a problem when scientist tries to date the age of animal based on it’s teeth. However, it is estimated that a blue whale can expected to live past 50 years (NOAA and World Wildlife).
Orcas, commonly known as killer whales, are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. They were given the name “killer whale” by sailors who often observed them attacking and killing seals, sea lions, walruses, penguins, dolphins, polar bears and even other whales (Orcas).
The Whale Rider is a Movie that is about a “Whale Rider” named Pai or Paikea and she was born as a twin and brother and mother died. There are three main characters. Paikea, Koro and Nanny Flower. We are going to start off with Paikea. Paikea is a trying to training to be a chief or whale rider, but Koro does not want Paikea to be in the clan. The clan is a boy’s only clan for boys and when they grow up they can be a chief. Koro is the grandfather of Paikea and he is strict when Pai does something wrong e.g. When Pai puts ties the rope together to make the boat start. Nanny Flowers helps Pai and Koro at times when they fell insecure.
Some physical adaptations include the color of the killer whale. Killer whales are black and white. The top part that is black to there to camouflage under the dark waters and the white blends in with the bright surface. Killer whales also have blubber that makes their bodies slick and slippery; this helps the whale swim easier and faster and are barrel shaped. Orcas also have dorsal fins that helps them stay balance and stable in the water. Other than physical adaptations, there is also the learned behavior and instinctive behavior of orcas. Orcas have learned to whistle and make pulses to communicate within their pods. Each killer whale pod has their own ‘dialect’ and their own way of communicating. They also use echolocation. The main reason for echolocation is to locate their prey when hunting. Orcas also establish dominance by slapping their tails on the water, head butting and other actions. Mothers discipline their children by scratching their teeth on the back of the
This argument about Orca whales is very important. The abuse that these animals go through is unbelievable and uncalled for. They face starvation, dorsal fin damage, and withdrawals from not seeing their family if they were taken from the wild. Orca whales love to play but it is hard when they are being abused. Whales in the wild have dorsal fins that stand straight up (Killer Whales Don’t Belong In Captivity). The whales at any marine park have dorsal fins that
The theory of evolution states that DNA may change. The changes in an organism’s DNA can be for the better, worse, or neutral. After a while, these mutations, eventually lead to a new species. Natural selection, a part of evolution, states that beneficial changes will help these creatures to thrive and reproduce, while those with bad mutations will die out. Basically, the whales that took