Dolphins are some of the cutest animals in the entire ocean, so let’s check some interesting and fun dolphin facts. There are 67 species of dolphins and only 32 of them reside in the ocean. The rest are freshwater dolphins.
Some dolphins can hold their breath for as long as thirty minutes.
A dolphin breathes through a blowhole in the top of his head.
Dolphins eat other fish.
One dolphin eats around 30 pounds of fish a day.
Groups of dolphins are called pods.
Mother dolphins nurse their babies, called calves, for eighteen months.
The dolphin mother’s milk has a very high fat content of from 33% to 50%.
The mother and offspring have an intense bond and stay together for three to six years.
The two halves of a dolphin’s brain sleep independently so that one half of its brain is always alert to predators.
Dolphins are protected from the cold by their blubber.
A dolphin’s lifespan is between 34-40 years.
Dolphins have around 100 teeth.
Dolphins do not chew with their teeth–they swallow the fish they are eating whole.
Some dolphin facts are fascinating. For example, dolphins use sonar–a special sensory system to explore their surroundings. They send out clicks which echo off objects underwater. When the dolphins hear the echo their brain provides them with a picture of the object.
Dolphins have the same senses as human beings except they cannot smell.
Dolphins are born tail first, unlike other mammals.
Dolphins can do all types of acrobatic leaps and maneuvers.
Dolphins are being used more and more for human therapy.
The bottlenose dolphin is the most popular.
An adult dolphin is normally between seven and eleven feet long.
Dolphin facts concerning their size show that dolphins weigh between 600-850 pounds.
Dolphins are still being killed around the world for food, oil, fertilizer and other products.
In parts of Asia dolphins are killed by fishermen because they are considered to be competitors for fish.
Japan is the largest consumer of dolphin products.
Dolphins have two stomachs. One stores food and one digests it.
Dolphins are friendly and intelligent creatures.
In 1989 their was a boycott on some companies that sell tuna because of the practice of using driftnets, which often catch dolphins. That is why you now see dolphin-safe labeling on tuna cans.
Dolphins live in social groups of from five to several hundred. The entire family has a hierarchy with the dominant male on the top. Young whales are taught by the group.
Orca dolphins are the largest and can be as long as 18 feet and weigh in the range of 19,000 pounds.
