Information about Dolphins

Since dolphins seem to be the most popular marine mammal species, it is only fitting that we provide some information about dolphins! There is always some discrepancy on some information about dolphins. Just because certain dolphins can hold their breath for ten minutes, doesn’t mean that others can or that other dolphins couldn’t hold their breath even longer. Every year we are learning more and more about these amazing animals.

• Dolphins are warm-blooded animals.
• Their scientific name is tursiops-truncatus.
• Dolphins can hold their breath for ten minutes.
• Dolphins eat their fish whole.
• Dolphins sleep by resting half their brain at a time. The other half stays awake so the dolphin can breathe.
• Dolphins breathe from their blowhole.
• When a dolphin is first born they have whiskers. The whiskers fall a few days later.
• Baby dolphins drink milk from their mother.
• Dolphins swim in groups called “pods.” These pods can have anywhere from 3 to 2,000 dolphins.
• Dolphins are very social animals and interact with one another frequently.
• Dolphins have the ability to echolocate. They can send “waves” from their melon (forehead) out into the ocean. Those waves bounce off objects, like fish, and bounce back to the dolphin. When the waves get back to the dolphin, the dolphin can “see” where the fish is! Bats also can echolocate.
• Dolphins are a mammal, and so are people!
• The tail fin of a dolphin is called its’ fluke.
• The vocalizations dolphins make come through their blowhole, not their mouth.
• Dolphins have 80-100 coned shaped teeth. These teeth are used for catching and ripping their prey. They do not use their teeth for chewing.
• Dolphins are actually a type of toothed whale.
• The dolphin’s jaw line naturally slopes upward, giving the appearance of a smile.
• Dolphins can reach speeds in excess of 20mph.

For additional information about dolphins please check out this book and others.