Dolphins: What You May Not Know

Did you know that there are 26 living species of dolphins swimming in the ocean? Did you know that they are in the same family as a whale? They are actually called a small cetaceans or toothed whales by scientists and biologists. Through their studies, they found that dolphins have advanced or complex personalities. Scientists believe that dolphins are truly remarkable and highly intelligent.

However, don't confuse them with porpoises, which are generally smaller than a dolphin. Basically, dolphins are a part of the Delphinidae family and porpoises are a part of the Phocoenidae family. Also, dolphins have conical shaped teeth and porpoises have spaded-like shaped teeth. Another difference is that dolphins have a distant break in the rostrum and porpoises don't have one.

Dolphins are known as carnivores or meat eaters, but the mostly prey on fish, octopus, squid, and more. They are classified as a marine animal, which bodies that have marvelously adapted to their aquatic environment. Also, dolphins usually swim in a series of dives and have attained speeds of 25 mph. Their flippers are used primarily for propulsion, and their bodies are able to move effectively.

The dolphin's skin replaces it's self frequently and they have a layer of blubber that hold their body heat. All species of dolphins are considered mammals, because they give birth to live young and feeds them milk for almost 2 years. They also stay with their calves for three to eight years or when they sexual maturity, and are ready to start their own family.

Numerous studies suggest that dolphins can live about 30 years, in the wild or in captivity with proper care. Most scientists believe that dolphins have been known to bond with other dolphins in their family or pod. Mainly, dolphins enjoy showing off their intelligence and bonding with their trainers. Most captive dolphins bond with their human trainers, as they are being trained to perform stunts.

Chances are, you have seen a dolphin perform in person or on television. They enjoy swimming, playing, and performing for anxious fans. Even dolphins that live in the wild are known to perform trick for an audience with food. There are many wildlife parks that use dolphins as a main attraction and use dolphin to entertain the crowd. Many scientists have found that dolphins are gentle and easy to train, by using whistles and rewards like fish or toys.

Each dolphin communicates with unique clicks and sounds, as they swim and play together. Sometimes, dolphins will show affection, by stroking each other with their tail or rubbing their bodies against another dolphin. Every scientist will agree that they rely on internal sonar; in order to swim around the obstacles in the ocean and the aquarium. They can create an acoustic picture of the object, by the echo that follows each of the outgoing clicks.

All dolphins are characteristically social and depend on social interaction for their basic needs. Some scientists believe that dolphins are capable of showing emotions, just as human does. Recently, their playful personalities have appealed to specially challenged children. So, now there are several organizations, which allow these special children to swim with the dolphins as therapy.

Also, a vacationer can swim and interact with dolphins, for the cost of a ticket. Their playful nature and intelligent behavior have intrigued scientists for hundreds of years. However, the dolphins have to face many predators in the sea, including humans. For example: many of them are being killed by fisherman, who is trying to catch the tuna. Therefore, it is important to make their aquatic (Gardner, 2007) habitats safer for dolphins, so future generations can enjoy them also.

References:

Gardner, E. (2007) Dolphins
Retrieved on the World Wide Web on September 10, 2007
http://www.earthtrust.org/wlcurric/dolphins.html