Gary Russell age 8, of Sioux City, Iowa

Can a whale drown?

A big whale got tangled up in the telegraph cable on the floor of the Atlantic. They hauled him up and straightened out the underwater cable. But the whale was dead. He had drowned because he could not rise to the surface for a breath of air. Any whale would drown if he did not come up to breathe.

Whales are warm blooded, air‑breathing animals like cats and dogs. They live in the sea because they feed on sea food. They have learned to be 1‑onderful swimmers and divers. But no whale can stay under water longer than he can hold his breath. He can hold his breath for 20 minutes or more.

Then up he comes with a great puff. He puffs out his breath in a steamy spout. He; spouts and spouts until all the stale air is out of his lungs. Then he breathes in and fills up with a new supply of fresh air, Down he goes, searching for food in the deep ocean. He hunts half an hour or so, then up he comes for another breath of air. If he didn't come ups he would drown