It is a common misconception that all mammals live on land.

While most mammals

do indeed live out of the (1)

water

, some mammals such as whales and

dolphins live in the sea. Despite the strong resemblance, these marine mammals are not
fish; they possess characteristics that are (2)

unique

to mammals.

Being mammals, marine mammals are warm-blooded and have hair or fur on their
bodies. They give birth to their young alive, and the mothers bodies have the ability to
(3)

produce

milk for their young to drink. Like the mammals on land, marine

mammals require (4)

oxygen

long without surfacing to (5)

to survive. Should they remain underwater for too

breathe

, they will drown.

You might ask, if there are so many similarities between marine mammals and
mammals that live on land, why do marine mammals exist in the first place? Scientists
(6)

speculate

that millions of years ago, the marine mammals of today were in

fact land mammals that lived near the waters edge. At that time, the (7)
of creatures on land was steadily increasing, and this put a (8)

population

growing

strain on

the resources needed for survival. Meanwhile, the ocean remained mostly unpopulated. In
order to (9)

increase

their chances of survival, some of these mammals left the

land and went to live in the ocean, thus reducing the strain on (10)

resources

found on land. As they spent more time living in their new habitat, they eventually
(11)

evolved

into the various kinds of marine mammals of today.

For example, in order for whales to adapt to their new (12)

front limbs grew into flippers over time while their (13)

hind

habitat

, their

limbs shrunk to

remain hidden inside their bodies. Evidence of these once existent limbs cannot be found
by looking at the exterior of these marine mammals. However, if we were to see their
skeletons, we will be able to find tiny bones near their tails, which are the only remaining
(14)

proof

that many years ago, whales did indeed have (15)

just like many land mammals we know of.

four

limbs