It may not seem like they did but whales actually started off as land animals that were mammals like the whales today. This first whale was called Pakicetus (pak-e-SEE-tus). When the land mammal went to the water, it was then named the Ambulocetus (am-boo-low-see-tus). When the Ambulocetus went to the sea, it devolped into the Kutchicetus (cut-chee-see- tus). When the Kutchicetus went to the deep sea, it evolved into the Dorudon (door-you-done).