Dolphins are mammals which are closely related to porpoises and whales. They have been known to follow and guide ships and boats in the water and are friendly if they are not agitated.
- 1. Dolphins have leftover remnants of finger bones in their fins, which do not serve much of a purpose.
- 2. Dolphins have been popular in philosophy, mythology, and narratives for thousands of years dating back to ancient Greece and Rome.
- 3. Killer whales (orcas) are the largest species of dolphin.
- 4. Most dolphins do not chew because they do not have very strong jaw muscles. They use their teeth to grab and hold prey.
- 5. When dolphins are born, they come out tail first so that they do not drown. Even a tablespoon of water in their lungs could drown them. After the baby dolphin is born, its mother has to take it to the surface to take its first breath.
- 6. Male dolphins are called “bulls.”
- 7. Female dolphins are called “cows.”
- 8. Young dolphins are known as “calves.”
- 9. During a dolphin birth, if there is another female, she will help and act as a “midwife.” The second female will help to pull the baby while the bulls (male dolphins) and other dolphins patrol the area to protect them.
- 10. A group of dolphins is referred to as either a “pod” or a “school.”
- 11. Dolphins cannot smell, but they can taste things and differentiate between sour, bitter, salty, and sweet.
- 12. Dolphins flap their tails up and town rather than side to side as fish do.
- 13. Sonar is one of the ways that dolphins have an advantage over other animals in the sea because they can see with their eyes as well as use echolocation. They make a series of clicking noises and pings, which reflect off anything in the water. Based on the amount of sound that returns, they can determine how far away the thing is, what size it is, and whether or not it is moving.
- 14. Dolphins can make their clicking noises as well as emit its sonar noises simultaneously.
- 15. Some dolphins leap up to 30 feet in the air.
- 16. Dolphins can kill sharks in a fight by ramming into them with their beaks.
- 17. Dolphins can remain awake for up to five days at a time.
- 18. There are 42 types of dolphins of which 32 live in saltwater, 4 live in rivers.
- 19. In ancient Greece it was considered sacrilege to kill a dolphin. If you were caught killing one or were suspected of having killed one, the punishment was death.
- 20. Dolphins eat up to 30 pounds of fish in a day.
