[jennyp]

The AJC article has a quote which makes things a little clearer:

"Although its hind limbs were not found, we know they were there, based on its hip sockets," Geisler said. "But the hip sockets were no longer connected to the spinal cord, as they are in earlier whales that were land animals."

[jennyp]

I guess the third article from the Charlotte Observer is just a truncated version of the AJC article.

[DittoJed2]

They don't have the proof that whales were land mammals. See where my beef is here? They just quote this stuff as if it were proven fact. I would have a lot less problem with the paragraph if it read ""Although its hind limbs were not found, we BELIEVE they were there, based on its hip sockets," Geisler said. "But the hip sockets were no longer connected to the spinal cord, as WE BELIEVE they WERE in earlier whales that were land animals."

As it reads now, it is very deceptive.