Surf the Web with Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises

Surf the Web with Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises
An Internet Hotlist on Whales and Dolphins

created by Daryn Towle

Introduction | Cetacean Picture Sites | Elementary Sites | Quick Facts | Longer Sites

Introduction

Cetaceans consist of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. They are underwater mammals that breathe air with lungs, give live births, and are warm-blooded. As you can tell, Cetaceans are not fish. Many people are familiar with dolphins and whales, but not as familiar with porpoises. Dolphins and porpoises are very similar, except for the shape of their teeth and the shape of their beak. Whales are different from dolphins and porpoises because most do not have teeth and they are much larger. At first, I didn't know anything about whales, dolphins, or porpoises. As I explored the sites below, I became familiar with the order and began to like it! So if you need some information on the order Cetacea or just want some fun facts, check out this hotlist I have set up to help get you started.

The Internet Resources

Cetacean Picture Sites

Cetacea Images - This site provides many interesting photographs. For example, you can enlarge pictures of whales, dolphins, porpoises, and even their fossils! Visit this site for a treat for your eyes. These pictures are amazing.
I give this site a 4 out of 5 stars.

Elementary Sites

Elementary Theme- Dolphins - This site is for elementary school kids who need quick and easy information. You do not need to shuffle through many pages of links, but rather are given tons of information right there. Did you know that dolphins are just toothed whales? This is a really great website for younger children who need facts for papers or school projects.
I give this site a 5 out of 5 stars.

Quick Facts

Whales and Dolphins - This site describes quick features of whales and dolphins. It also talks about how they interact with each other and their environment. Did you know that both whales and dolphins breathe through blowholes? This website also provides a few pictures.
I rate this website 4 out of 5.
Cetaceans: Mammals of the Ocean - For basic facts on the cetaceans, visit this site! It gives you quick information on the order as a whole and also provides links for the different organisms within the order. There are pictures along with each link. For instance, there are 13 different familes and 81 known species within the Cetacea order. It's a great website which is definitely worth a visit.
I give this site a 5 out of 5 stars.
Animals on the Edge: Cetaceans - For tons of quick and interesting facts on whales, dolphins, and porpoises, visit this site! It supplies many different types of information for each specific species mentioned. Did you know that cetaceans are threatened by hunting, fishing, and other human activities? It is a great site for researching and it's quick too!
I rate this site 5 out of 5 stars.

Longer Sites

Whales, Dophins, and Porpoises (Order Cetacea) - This gives general information about the animals in the order Cetacea. It talks about behavior of the different kinds of cetaceans and their strandings. For example, it talks about how cetaceans live in the water their whole life. Pictures are included with each link.
I give this link a rating of 3 out of 5.
Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises - This site is pakced with information about the order Ceatacea. It has information on the division on this order and appearance of each animal within the order. For instance, it talks about how the eyes of cetaceans are adapter to water. This is a great site!
I give this link a 4 out of 5 stars.
Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Cetacea Order: History and Conservation - This site has many different links with information on how to protect these aimals. You can learn what people are doing wrong and how to help. For example, people are whaling which disrupt the increase in the population. You can also visit a link which explains whale and dolphin adopting. All animal lovers should visit this site.
I give this site a 3 out of 5 stars.
Cetacea Links - Come to this site for many links on whales, dolphins, and porpoises. If you've got time, check this site out for information. Baleen whales are in a different family than toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises. I would not recommend this site for people who aren't willing to shuffle through different pages and links. There are also a few pictures to keep you occupied.
I give this site a 2 out of 5 stars.
Order Cetacea - This website is really great. It includes a detailed description on the order cetacea. It has information on the members of this order and even includes pictures of whales, dolphins, and porpoises in and out of water. It's great for getting information for research papers and big projets. Anybody can use this site!
I give this site a 5 out of 5 stars.
Introduction to the Cetacea - This site is packed with information on cetaceans. It talks mostly about whales and dolphins and their origins. The site also provides information on cetacean fossils. The evolution of ancient whales is also included. This site does not take a long time to shovel through, but it's not as quick as most.
I give this page a 4 out of 5 stars.
Zoologists: Cetaceans - This site has many links to different species of Cetaceans. It gives the different families, genus, and species of the Cetaceans. If you are looking for a specific cetacean, this site is the right one to visit. For example, did you know that the humpback whale and bowhead whale are in different families? It provides tons of specific species amd a couple pictures.
I rate this site 2 out of 5 stars.

Content by Daryn Towle
http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/listwhalesada.html
Last revised Tue Mar 9 11:23:04 US/Pacific 2004