Sharks and other fish have the impressive talent of being able to absorb oxygen from water, which they take in through their gills. These feathery-looking organs are found in slits on the side of a shark’s head. They are made of highly folded, thin sections of tissue that are ideal for breathing.
Whales (like other mammals including us) use different organs called lungs to breathe. They can’t obtain oxygen from water. That means whales have to swim frequently to the water’s surface in order to breathe. Air is taken in through a blowhole, the opening at the top of a whale’s head.