Whales:
* Yes, they did! Whales evolved from land-dwelling mammals called Indohyus, which looked a bit like a small deer. Over millions of years, these land mammals gradually adapted to a marine environment, losing their legs and evolving flippers and tails for swimming.
* Fossil evidence shows the transition, with some ancient whale fossils having small hind limbs and others with only remnants of pelvic bones.
Snakes:
* Yes, they did! Snakes evolved from lizard-like ancestors that walked on four legs.
* Fossil evidence shows these early snakes had small limbs that gradually became smaller and eventually disappeared as they adapted to a slithering lifestyle.
* Some snakes still retain vestigial pelvic bones, which are remnants of their hind legs.
So, while both whales and snakes now lack legs, they both had ancestors that walked on land! Evolution is a remarkable process that involves gradual changes over time, resulting in amazing adaptations to different environments.