Facts & Info About Dolphins Increase your knowledge of Facts about the Dolphins with some brief, but essential information & fast facts about this popular animal. Important facts, data and info containing details of the description, name origins and habitat of Dolphins. Details of the size, height and weight. Where they live and what they eat! Discover what their lives are like! A mixture of Factual information together with cool, fun, strange, amazing, weird and even funny facts about Dolphins. A detailed Fact Sheet covering a whole host of topics and Dolphins facts! Have Fun!
Description of Dolphins The Dolphin is described a marine cetacean mammal of the order cetacea. The term cetacean includes all 76 known species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Those more than 4 to 5 m (13 to 16 ft) long are generally referred to as whales, whereas smaller species are known as dolphins or porpoises. Dolphins as the bottle-nosed dolphin, of the family Delphinidae, similar to the whales but generally smaller and having a distinct beaklike snout, called a rostrum, with conical shaped teeth. Dolphins rank among the most intelligent marine mammals.
The origins of the name come from the Greek word delphus meaning womb (from its shape)
Echlocation Echolocation - All dolphins can see, however as visibility is restricted underwater they have developed the use of a sonar system called 'echolocation' to find food when navigating and hunting for food. Their clicks make high-frequency sounds, and the echoes of these sounds bounce back which enables them to make a mental map. Using this mental map they are able to avoid the smallest of obstacles whilst locating their prey. In just a split second Echlocation enables them to determine the size of objects, their location, how fast they are
Differences between the Dolphin and the Porpoise The Dolphin and the Porpoise are two different types of mammals:
Dolphins are larger, more streamlined and acrobatic
Porpoises are smaller and stockier with triangular dorsal fins or no dorsal fins at all
The dolphin dorsal fin is larger and more curved
Dolphins have a 'beak'
Porpoises are 'beakless', with a rounded snout
Dolphins travel in larger groups than porpoises
Dolphins produce sounds that humans can hear
Porpoises communicate at frequencies beyond the range of human hearing
Species of Dolphins There are thirty-eight different species of Dolphins which can be divided into three categories of Humpbacked, Ocean and River dolphins examples of which include the following:
Lipotes vexillifer - Baiji - Chinese River Dolphin
Inia geoffrensis - Boto - Amazon River Dolphin
Pontoporia blainvillei - Franciscana - La Plata River Dolphin
Platanista minor - Indus River Dolphin
Facts about where Dolphins live and what they eat! Dolphins are native to all of the World's Oceans and Seas. They can also be found in some large river systems as indicated above by their species names Dolphins are carnivores and their diets vary according to their habitat but commonly consist of either fish or squid, octopus, cuttlefish, crabs, shrimps and lobsters.
Basic Facts about Dolphins
The name of a male is referred to simply as a male The name of a female is referred to simply as a female The name or offspring, or a baby Dolphins, is a calf The average size of a litter is one The collective name for a group of Dolphins is a pod The sound made by a Dolphins is referred to as a click or a whistle
Facts about the Size of Male Dolphins Killer whales are the largest species of dolphin and can grow to 9.8 m and weigh up to 9,000-to-10,000 kg.
Facts about the life, behavior and personality of Dolphins
They have their own signature whistle which distinguishes them from other dolphins!
Groups form strong alliances in their pods
A baby dolphin learns to 'speak' and hunt from its parents
Cool and Fun Facts about Dolphins Some fascinating information & facts about Dolphins - find our what a Pod, a Rostrum, a Melon, Blubber, Flukes and Blowholes are!
A group of dolphins is called a Pod
Their snouts, or beaks, are called the Rostrum
The Fatty tissue below a dolphin's skin helps to keep it warm and is called Blubber
Fins - the Dorsal Fin is used for balance and is found on the back of the animal
Fins - the Pectoral Fins are used for stopping and steering and found on either side of the body
Fins - the Flukes are used for propelling through water and are located on the tail
The forehead is called the Melon (because of its shape)
This is a hole at the top of a dolphin's head called a Blowhole which is used for breathing and making sounds
What does that word mean?? Some fascinating information & facts about the words that are often used to describe animals! Read the facts and information and decide how Dolphins should be described!
What is a Mammal?
A Mammal is a warm blooded, vertebrate mammal. Warm blooded means that their temperature remains the same although their surroundings might change. This explains why they have a covering of hair on their skin. A mammal has milk-producing mammary glands for nourishing their young
What is a Vertebrate?
A Vertebrate is an animal that has a backbone which consists of ring-like bones, called vertebrae, that protect the soft spinal cord
What is an Invertebrate?
An Invertebrate animal does not have a backbone. They are also cold-blooded which means their body temperature changes according to the environment environment
What is a Carnivore?
A Carnivore is an animal which eats mainly meat
What is a Herbivore?
A Herbivore is an animal which eats mainly plants and grass
What is an Omnivore?
An Omnivore is an animal which eats both meat and plants
What is an Amphibian?
An Amphibian is an animal spend part of its life under water (breathing with gills) and the remainder on land (breathing with lungs)
Some fascinating information & facts about the words that are often used to describe animals! Read the information and decide how a Dolphins should be described!
Endangered Species Wild life experts consider that the Chinese River dolphin and Indus River dolphin are endangered under the Endangered Species Act. An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The Causes of a species of animal becoming endangered are due to Habitat Destruction such as the rainforest, introduction of exotic species, disease, water pollution, global warming and over exploitation of natural resources. As people are made aware of the facts about endangered species, initiatives such as Recycling are increasing in popularity. Endangered Species Organizations are dedicated to saving and preserving the world's most endangered wildlife. Interesting facts about Endangered Species.
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