| Facts about Dolphins |
Interesting facts and information about the Dolphins |
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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! | | 
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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
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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:- Common dolphin
- Delphinus delphis (short-beaked)
- Delphinus capensis (long-beaked)
- Humpbacked Dolphins
- Sousa teuszii - Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin
- Sousa chinensis - Indo-Pacific Humpbacked
- Ocean Dolphins
- Stenella frontalis - Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
- Tursiops truncatus - Bottlenose
- Cephalorhynchus eutropia - Chilean
- Lagenorhynchus cruciger - Hourglass
- Lagenorhynchus obliquidens - Pacific White-Sided Dolphin
- Stenella attenuata - Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
- Steno bredanensis - Rough-Toothed Dolphin
- Stenella longirostris - Spinner
- Stenella coeruleoalba - Striped Dolphin
- River Dolphins
- Lipotes vexillifer - Baiji - Chinese River Dolphin
- Inia geoffrensis - Boto - Amazon River Dolphin
- Pontoporia blainvillei - Franciscana - La Plata River Dolphin
- Platanista minor - Indus River Dolphin
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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.
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Basic Facts about DolphinsThe 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. |
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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
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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
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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?
- 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, Introduction of Exotic Species, Disease, Pollution, and Over exploitation. Endangered Species Organizations are dedicated to saving and preserving the world's most endangered wildlife. Interesting facts about endangered Species
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Dolphins Facts and Information about Dolphins
We hope that the selection of Facts about Dolphins has provided you with the information you have been searching for! A mixture of Factual information together with cool, fun, strange, amazing, weird and even funny facts about this amazing animal. A detailed Fact Sheet covering a whole host of topics information and facts about Dolphins. We believe that the concise and fun facts provided are full of interesting information about this popular animal! The internet is a great resource for information - you don't even need to go to the library to get fast facts about Dolphins!Great for homework, or projects, an ideal Educational Resource for facts about Dolphins!
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Facts and Info about Dolphins |
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Interesting Facts & Information about Dolphins |
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