Survival Challenges

This passage describes the many dangers whales face in the wild. It explains that even though whales are huge, they still have natural predators like orcas and, less often, great white sharks. The text goes on to show how human activities-such as commercial whaling, fishing nets, ship strikes, and underwater noise-create serious risks. Climate change, warming oceans, pollution, and disease add even more threats, but the passage also highlights how migration, pod behavior, and conservation efforts help whales stay healthy and survive.

Students develop cause-and-effect comprehension as they trace how human actions and environmental changes lead to specific problems for whales. The multiple subheadings encourage readers to notice text organization, improving their ability to summarize and identify main ideas in each section. The passage also expands environmental science vocabulary, including terms like pollution, climate change, and conservation. By analyzing problems and solutions, students practice higher-level critical thinking and learn to connect informational reading with real-world issues.