PLAY
(opens a new window)

The Orca has the same bones in its flippers that we have in our arms and hands.  But there are some differences.  The “finger” bones of a whale are longer than its arm bones. The opposite is true of us.  You can get an idea of what an orca’s flipper is like if you pretend that your hands and arms are stiff in a cast and you move them only from your shoulders.  This is how whales move their pectoral flippers to rotate or to slow down.  Stiff paddles are much better for these tasks than our more flexible arms and hands. If whales had flexible joints like ours, they would bend too easily under the strain of moving their enormous body weight.

PLAY
(opens a new window)

Title l Introduction l Orca Info l Legends l Activities l Debate l Quizzes l Credits

Copyright 2006 Lochiel U-Connect Thinkquest team and licensors