A new study suggests that whales evolved from tiny deer-like animals that jumped into rivers to flee prehistoric predators.

Recent evidence has shown that whales evolved from the group of mammals known as artiodactyls, which includes pigs, sheep, hippos, and giraffes. Hippos are the closest living relatives of whales, but there’s a gap in the evolutionary chain.

This new study proposes that the Indohyus is the missing link. “It was only the size of a raccoon, but if you saw it in a zoo, you would think it was a miniaturized deer,” said paleontologist Hans Thewissen, who led the team.

National Geographic: Whales evolved from tiny deerlike mammals

PS. This photo is from a whale watching expedition we did in Glacier Bay, Alaska last year. It was a spectacular outing, and the humpbacks were plentiful. Everything was so quiet and peaceful, you could hear the whales breathing. One thing’s for sure — they don’t bear much resemblance to small deer anymore!

PPS. I’m off for a bit — nothing more here until the new year. Happy holidays!

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We’ll be reprising our women’s trip to Alaska in the summer of 2009. If the whales are jumping then like they were in 2007, it could be quite a show! I’ll post anything relevant and interesting in our Alaska category.