Field Trip Adventure Two: Under the Ocean

Ahoy there!  Batten down the hatches, because we’re going under the ocean.  The most exciting part is that you are going to see plenty of ocean animals.

Here’s one that usually breaks the surface for air.  Introducing the bottlenose dolphin:

Bottlenose dolphins are the most common type of dolphin that are seen.  To read more about different types of dolphins, read The Dolphin Diaries book series.

Next up is the cousin of the dolphin, though much bigger.  Whales!  Here are three different types of whales: the humpback whale, the blue whale and the killer whale (also known as Orca):

Whales are mammals, just like us and dolphins.  They have lungs and not gills.  However, the biggest whales eat the littlest things. They call it plankton, that’s sort of like the ocean’s version of breakfast cereal. 

Finally, are you ready to meet the master of mollusks: the octopus – and its relative, the squid!

Octopuses and squids, plus another cousin of theirs, the cuttlefish, are all mollusks.  They have no bones, which makes it easy for them to squeeze into places we could never fit into.   Also, the Australian Blue Ringed Octopus is venomous.  It uses bioluminescence to ward off foes.  Bioluminescence is light caused by tiny microbes.  Glow worms, angler fish and the Australian Blue Ringed Octopus use it in many different ways.

Isn’t the ocean amazing?  Oh, one last thing: go to your local aquarium to see these creatures and many more in action.  I don’t think they’ll have humpback and blue whales, but there’s a chance you could see orcas and beluga whales.

See you next time!