Human impact on the ocean environment: Find the whales.

Hunting, pollution, disease, and dwindling food sources have led to the decline of whale populations over the past 200 years. Although some species are making a comeback, the biggest whales are on the U.S. endangered list. Where can they be found in the world's oceans and seas?

INFORMATION BANK

There are two major types of whales--toothed and baleen. Toothed whales eat squid, fish, and, in some cases, other marine mammals. Baleen whales strain tiny krill and plankton from the water through a sievelike, horny material in their mouths called baleen.

Sperm Whale: Because of its richness in oil and spermaceti, this was the most desired whale during the peak years of American commercial whaling. It is the largest of the toothed whales. A male can be 70 feet long and weigh more than 55 tons. Moby Dick was a sperm whale. About a million sperm whales have been killed over the past 200 years. Between 20,000 and 100,000 are left. They like deep water and can be found in all oceans except the Arctic.

Right Whale: This is considered the most endangered whale species. Perhaps no more than 600 of these baleen whales still exist. Most spend spring and summer in the coastal area of Cape Cod and winter near Georgia and Florida. New Englanders in the late 1600s called members of this species "the right whale to catch." That's because of its slow swimming speed, gentle nature, and habitat near the shore.

Blue Whale: According to several scientists, this is the largest creature ever to have lived. A female blue whale, which is larger than the male, can be 100 feet long and weigh l50 tons. Because of their size, speed, and range, blue whales were not hunted much until the introduction of harpoon guns. Between 3,000 and 15,000 remain. These baleen whales can be found in all oceans, but they mostly migrate from the cold waters near Antarctica to the Aleutian Islands.

Humpback Whale: Because these whales make interesting sounds or "songs," and bounce out of the water to twirl and somersault, they are favorites among whale watchers. Humpback whales can be found in all oceans, but they are mostly seen near Maine, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. They are chunky baleen feeders and can weigh up to 40 tons, though their length is no more than 60 feet. About 2,000 to 4,000 remain.

QUESTIONS

Refer to the American History article on pages 14-76, a world map, and the information bank for help with the answers.

___1. The largest creature that ever lived was the (A) dinosaur; (B) blue whale; (C) sperm whale.

___2. If you were looking for a sperm whale, what ocean would you not go to? (A) Atlantic; (B) Pacific; (C) Arctic.

___3. Its slow speed, gentle behavior, lack of teeth, and liking for shallow water made which whale species an easy target for whale hunters? (A) blue whale; (B) right whale; (C) sperm whale.

___4. Moby Dick was a (A) sperm whale; (B) great white shark; (C) famous whale hunter.

___5. During the high period of commercial whaling in the 19th century, whales were hunted mostly for their (A) meat; (B) skin; (C) oil.

___6. Which coastal waters would be the best place to spot rare right whales in spring and summer? (A) off the coast of Cape Cod; (B) the Gulf of Mexico; (C) the Persian Gulf.

___7. The humpback whale is well-known for its (A) whale "songs"; (B) sleek appearance; (C) speed in the water.

___8. The most desired whale during the peak years of American commercial whaling was the (A) humpback; (B) right; (C) sperm whale.

___9. Sailors on 18th and 19th-century whaling ships (A) were well fed; (B) faced constant danger; (C) were highly paid.

___10. The novel Moby Dick, which describes whaling adventures, was published in 1851, and written by (A) Captain Christopher Hussey; (B) Herman Melville; (C) Nellie Bly.

ANSWERS

1. B

2. C

3. B

4. A

5. C

6. A

7. A

8. C

9. B

10. B