The Mammal Show
Mammals from the Sea
Dolphins- the playful swimmers kind of like humans
Whales- the behemoths, largest animals on the planet
Walruses- with tusks and blubber only a mother could love
Seals- smart and just as playful as dolphins
There are many mammals on this earth and what our mammal show is focusing on are the ones that are found in the ocean. Whales, walruses, seals, manatees, and dolphins are just a few examples. Many of these creatures faced extinction at some point in their history, especially the baleen whales. This was because of the natural polymers that they contain.
The most common natural polymer that is found in mammals is protein, which looks like this:
Protein in various forms has been used in things such as skirt hoops, carriage springs, umbrella ribs, fishing rods, and the laces in corsets. One protein called keratin can be found in two forms, hard and soft. Soft keratin is found in whalebone. Hard keratin is the same substance that is found in human nails, hair, and animal claws, horns and hoofs.
The next most common protein polymer found in aquatic mammals is in the form of
leather, although leather also comes from the hides of
just about any animal you can think of, like cows, ostriches and even snakes.
Oils were another item obtained from aquatic mammals. These oils
are quite popular because of their high quality.
They are found in creatures such as walruses, turtles and sharks, and were used as fuel for lamps and heating,
and paints and
cosmetics.
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