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Whales Returned to the Sea

Vertebrates evolved in the sea and eventually moved onto land. The ancestors of whales later returned to the sea.
(Mary Parrish/Smithsonian Institution)

Vertebrates evolved in the sea and eventually moved onto land. The ancestors of whales later returned to the sea, taking advantage of its rich food supplies. As early whales adapted to their new marine surroundings, a diversity of species evolved. Explore the the interactive "Did Whale Evolution Go Backwards?".