“Dolphins often display a playful attitude which makes them popular in human culture” (Science World Kids.) In this paper I will talk about what dolphins eat, how they sleep, what their environment is, and other interesting facts. Species of dolphins Dolphins are a group of aquatic mammals called cetaceans. They are mammals because they are warm-blooded and they give birth to their young. The word “cetaceans” means celus in Latin and kelos in Greek both of which mean large sea animal (or creature.) There are thirty-two types of dolphins. One type is: the Bottlenose Dolphin (it’s blue-gray with a dorsal fin and a very white belly. It weights an average of 350 pounds and its length is about nine feet.) The Common Dolphin’s average length is eight feet and weight is about 165 pounds. Its upper body is either a dark blue or black and it’s under body is white. It also has golden stripes on the side of the dolphin and a dorsal fin. Another type of dolphin is the freshwater river dolphin. They have long snouts, small eyes, and they can only dive for about one minute at a time. There are thirty-two species of dolphins, but only 12 of them are freshwater river dolphins that live in South America and North and South Asia. All river dolphins have large and broad pectoral fins and a mobile neck. Dolphin Enemies Dolphins are natural enemies with sharks. The larger sharks (like the great white) normally eat smaller dolphins because they are easier to prey on. They are also natural enemies with whales. The killer whales have eight to eleven teeth on the upper jaw and eleven to thirteen on the lower jaw. They are also very good at staging assaults on other cetaceans. How dolphins sleep Dolphins sleep near the surfac... ... middle of paper ... ...phin Habitat and Distribution."Dolphin Habitat and Distribution. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. . "River dolphins." WWF. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. . "All About Dolphins." What do Dolphins Eat?. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. . "Wild dolphin bahaviors." dolphin smart. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . "Wild dolphin bahaviors." dolphin smart. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . "What is Echolocation?." What is Echolocation?. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. .
Orca whales are the largest members of the dolphin family. Orcas are very curious creatures, they like to sky hop, which is when they poke their heads out of the water and look around, and they can also dive to as much as a hundred feet. These social animals live in pods and stay with them for their whole lives. They are so family oriented that they can may sleep together in a tight circle and have synchronized breathing. Orcas can grow up to thirty-two feet and can weigh nine tons. They typically eat five percent of their body weight and are amazing hunters. The lifespan of an orca in their natural habitat is about fifty years. This lifestyle for them is wonderful because they can swim as far as they want to and are free. Orcas should not be held captive because the capture process is dangerous, it is not good for their health, and their trainers are at risk. Free Willy. Dir Simon Wincer. 1993.Video. Warner Bros Home Video
Dolphins make up the largest and most diverse family of cetaceans. The family contains 26 recognized species of which 13 tend to have long well defined beaks and streamlined robust bodies. Many vary in size, shape, colors, beaks and flippers, as humans have various characteristics.
Orcinus orca is the scientific name for the massive marine mammal. Orcas are not rare, but have declining numbers in some areas (Martin.) Orcas are found from the Artic Ocean to the Antartic Ocean. (Britannica) They belong to the Delphinidae, or dolphin family, which is the largest of their species. Female orcas grow to be at the most 15 feet, and weigh up to 4 tons, but the males can grow as large as 20-30 feet, and weight up to 8 tons. (Martin) The color of the orca is white in some spots, black on the majority of the body, and gray just behind the dorsal fin. It is white on the chin, belly and the eye. The white patch above the eye is usually mistaken for the eye, and may confuse their prey, but acts as a camouflage for the eye. The name “killer whale” makes people tend to believe that this is a viscious man-eating mammal, yet it is one of the most shrewd, docile and playful species of the marine mammals. The orca is sexually mature at 10-15 years of age, much like humans, which is 12-13 years of age. They tend to mate year round, and is able to have a calf every two years. It is interesting to know that lactation of the mother lasts 12 or more months (Wynne.) The life expectancy of orcas is 45-50 years of age.
The Killer Whale is a part of the toothed whale (odontoceti) suborder. The toothed whale suborder is consisted exclusively of porpoises, whales and dolphins that are born with teeth, instead of baleen plates. The Killer Whale is the largest animal in the dolphin family and is the only known to attack sharks, whales and other marine mammals.
Orcas, or killer whales are majestic giants of the sea. They are actually the largest type of dolphin. They have long black bodies with distinct white patches near their eyes. A killer whale can be up to 32 feet or more in length, and weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Females are a bit smaller, but live longer (Gorman). The name “killer whale” apparently came not because it is a vicious whale, but because it preys on whales. They do not have any natural predators, and they are considered the “top dog” of the ocean. Not even the great white shark stands a chance against these superb killers. “Unlike sharks, killer whales are cautious hunters, sometimes spending hours harassing a 1,000-pound sea lion so it can easily be drowned” (Francis). Orcas use many hunting tactics that are unique to their species, which is what makes them invincible.
Bottlenose dolphins became part of a United States Navy program in 1959 for the purpose of conducting scientific research into their sonar and hydrodynamics in hopes of getting design ideas for submarines, ship hulls and weapons. It was discovered dolphins hear and navigate in the water by using their natural sonar, which happened to be more precise than most fabricated sonar systems. In the mid-sixties, Navy dolphins were used as mail carriers to underwater laboratories in their home of San Diego, California.
The hourglass dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) is a pelagic marine dolphin which is circumpolar in the southern in both Antarctic and subantartic waters, from about 45°S to 60°S. (William F. Perrin, 2008). There is not enough data to determine with certainty the specific characteristics and traits of these species; as less than 20 specimens have been measured (Thomas A. Jefferson, 2015); however, from observation and sightings in is known that hourglass dolphins (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) tends to travel in groups, with a school size ranged between 1 and 60 animals, with a mean of 7 animals. (William F. Perrin, 2008). Like many other dolphins of the same family (Delphinidae) the hourglass dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) depend upon echolocation for prey localisation and orientation. Echolocation is the detection of an object by means of reflected sound (Allaby, 2014). Hourglass dolphins (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) produce echolocation click of high source level, which enable them to detect prey at more that twice the distance compared to the Hector
Do you know where dolphins and killer whales live? Dolphins and killer whales share the coastal waters. You can also find dolphins in harbors and bays. Unlike dolphins, killer whales live in colder regions of the arctic oceans. Dolphins and killer whales are close cousins, but have very different habitats. Dolphins like warmer waters, while, killer whales like colder
Both sharks and dolphins give birth to live young, but sharks don 't care for their young while dolphins do. Sharks breathe using gills and flow-through breathing while dolphins breathe through a blowhole. One of the most noticeable differences between sharks and dolphins is sharks have vertical tail fins where dolphins have horizontal tail flukes. Dolphins are warm blooded and regulate their body temperature, where sharks are cold-blooded and their body temperature vary with their environment. Sharks have multiple rows of teeth which are constantly replaced throughout their life while dolphins have only a single row of teeth. Sharks are solitary hunters while dolphins are very social creatures and forage and hunt
Where do you see dolphins the most, a river, the nearby lake? If you see one there, something is very wrong if you are in North America. South America might be fine, but usually dolphins live in the ocean. Forty types of dolphins live in the ocean while at least four different types live in freshwater habitats. The Bottlenose Dolphin, the Spinner Dolphin, and the Orca are all dolphins who live in saltwater habitats. Usually dolphins live in shallow water where you can see the bottom. Freshwater dolphins usually live in large rainforests like the Amazon Rainforest.
Orcas, commonly known as killer whales, are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. They were given the name “killer whale” by sailors who often observed them attacking and killing seals, sea lions, walruses, penguins, dolphins, polar bears and even other whales (Orcas).
They are the second smartest animal in the world. They nurture their young for most of their lives. They also socialise with any creature, unless they show signs of harm. Dolphins make very popular playmates and will come up to humans for almost anything. They rely on each other to live. They learn quickly and communicate well with one another. God designed dolphins with unique physical features and behaviors in order to glorify Him.
Humpback whales are amazing mammals and they go through a lot of extraordinary things to be able to survive. There are many whales in the ocean, but the whales that are in the Hawaiian culture areas have many difficulties and most people don't understand why.
Did you know in the world there are more than 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises? (WDC) The dolphin is a very important animal to the ocean and there are many different types to discover. In order to learn about dolphins, it is important to discuss where they live, their appearance, and what they eat. Some helpful words to understand are “dorsal fin”, a dorsal fin is the top pointed fin on the dolphins back, “flippers”, a flipper is a flat fin that dolphins use to swim, and “echolocation” is a tool dolphins use to find food by sounds bouncing off of objects (dictionary.com).
...r. Even though they live in the ocean all their life and also amusement parks, dolphins are mammals, not fish. That makes them very intersting animals because of all the charactics that they have that people would have never known about. Dolphins are by far the most intelligant marine mammals in the ocean.