Table of Contents Table of Contents
Previous Page  62 / 116 Next Page
Information
Show Menu
Previous Page 62 / 116 Next Page
Page Background

A humpback whale

The corals build huge reefs that provide many places for other animals

to grow, hide, and find food. The reef benefits animals that need a

surface to stick to, like snails and clams. The reef benefits animals that

need places to hide, like shrimp and lobsters. The reef provides a resting

place for ocean travelers like the green sea turtle.

Some ocean organisms live part of the year in cold ocean waters and

other times of the year in warm tropical ocean waters. Humpback whales

are found in the ocean and seas around the world. They migrate up to

25,000 kilometers (km) each year. They feed on krill and small fish in the

summer in the cold polar environment. In the winter, the whales migrate to

tropical waters to breed and give birth. They don’t eat during that time but

live off the fat in their bodies built up during the winter. Adult humpback

whales are very large mammals. They are 15 to 17 meters (m) long. Young

whales, called calves, are about 6 m long. Humpback whales are adapted to

live in both polar and tropical waters at different times of the year.

A stingray

A butterfly fish

62