Dolphins | Description, Habitat, & Facts

Dolphins are one of the most playful and intelligent animals on our planet. Although dolphins spend their entire lives in water, they are not fish but mammals. Dolphins cannot breathe underwater like fish but have to come to the surface to breathe air. There are several types of dolphins. Perhaps the most famous are bottlenose dolphins and killer whales (true orcas, or killer whales, are part of the dolphin family).

How do Dolphins live?

Dolphins are very social animals. Many dolphins move in groups called groups. Some dolphin species, such as killer whales (orcas), live in groups of 5 to 30 members throughout their lives. Each group works differently. Some groups migrate and travel around the world, while others have a specific territory. Sometimes the shells can clump together to form giant shells the size of 1000 dolphins or more. Baby dolphins are called calves. Males are called bulls and females are called cows.

How big do Dolphins get?

The largest dolphin species is the killer whale (orca) which can grow up to 23 feet long and weigh over 4 tons. The smallest dolphin is the Heaviside dolphin, which is just over 3 feet long and weighs about 90 pounds. Dolphins have a long snout that usually contains about 100 teeth. They also have a vent on the top of their head that they use to breathe.

What do Dolphins eat?

For the most part, dolphins eat other smaller fish, but they’re not limited to fish. They also eat squid, and some dolphins, such as killer whales, often eat small marine mammals such as seals and penguins. Dolphins often hunt together, in tight schools, or into coves where they can be easily caught. Some dolphins will share their food with their young or let the young catch injured prey as is customary. They do not chew their food, but swallow it whole. Dolphins get the water they need from the animals they eat, rather than drinking water from the ocean.

What do Dolphins like to do?

Dolphins communicate through calls and whistles. Not much is known about their communication. They love to jump, play and do somersaults in the air. They are known to ride the waves near the beach or track ships. Dolphins are also very easy to train, as shown in the shows they hold at ocean parks like Sea World.

How well can Dolphins see and hear?

Dolphins have excellent eyesight and hearing. Under water, they use echolocation. Echolocation is a bit like sonar where dolphins make a sound and then listen for the echo. Their hearing is so sensitive to these echoes that they can almost “see” objects in the water with their hearing. This allows dolphins to locate food in murky or dark waters.

How do Dolphins Sleep?

Dolphins need sleep, so how do they sleep without drowning? Dolphins sleep half their brains at a time. While half slept, the other half was awake enough that the dolphins wouldn’t drown. Dolphins can float to the surface while sleeping or occasionally swim slowly to the surface to breathe.

Interesting Facts About Dolphins

Dolphins are part of the same animal order, Cetaceans, as whales.

Many dolphin species are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Hector dolphin is classified as endangered.

They are smart enough to understand complex commands.

Like all mammals, dolphins give birth to their young and feed them with milk.

River dolphins live in fresh water, not salt water.