Dolphin - Man’s wet friend
The aquatic mammal’s scientific Order is called Cetacea, which includes some types of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Cetaceans are further divided into two sub-orders, named Odontoceti and Mysticeti. Toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises fall under the Odontoceti sub-order. Under the sub-order Odontoceti, is the Delphinidae family, which Dolphins are a part of. Even though some members of the Delphinidae family are referred to as whales, they are still Delphinids. Comprised of over 40 species, the Delphinidae family is the largest and most diverse group under Odontoceti.
Delphinids have numerous conical teeth, and almost all have dorsal fins. They primarily eat fish and other marine life, and feed closer to the surface. Larger Delphinids will eat wild birds, and other Cetaceans. Delphinids are very intelligent, rapid swimmers, and surface to breathe a few times a minute. They have been identified in all oceans of the world, but different species prefer different water temperatures.
The most recognizable Delphinid, to man, is the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates), and named so because of its bottle-shaped snout. Its body color is gray or gray-green/gray-brown with bellies that are silvery white (camouflaged) for protection against predators. Some do become prey to sharks, and occasionally to a larger member of the Cetacean family, but they are very fierce fighters and defenders. Most times, a dolphin can hold his own and win the battle. A dolphin will vary in size depending upon its location, and according to its sex, but is generally 8 to 10 feet long and weighs 400 to 600 pounds. A newborn calf is about 40 to 50 inches long, and weighs approximately 20 to 25 pounds. The lifespan, of Bottlenose dolphins, is anywhere from 25 to 35 years.
Bottlenose Dolphins prefer warm and shallow water, and typically swim in southern waters like Florida and Hawaii. This species, in particular, is extremely sociable, and likes to travel in large groups of up to a dozen or more. Dolphins also hunt together, and are known to follow shrimp boats for food. Dolphins rely on echolocation, which is a sonar (acoustics) system. Sonar allows them to make sounds that echo off objects in order to communicate, identify, and locate food. Migration is uncommon with this species, and travel is normally limited to where they can find food.
Studies have shown that dolphins sleep an average of 8 hours a day. Because dolphins would drown if they completely fell asleep, they are thought to go into alternate rest periods. That means they sleep with only one hemisphere of their brain, with one eye closed, and then rotate hemispheres.
These dolphins are very alert, responsive, and sprightly. They can quickly leap out of the water, to heights of over 15 feet, and dive back into the sea. Bottlenose Dolphins communicate amongst themselves by clicking, whistling, and making numerous other sounds. They also enjoy interacting with humans, and have been known to even come to the aid of humans who are in danger.
While visiting Cape May, New Jersey, I really enjoyed taking an ocean research tour to look for whales and dolphins. Although my fellow shipmates and I weren’t lucky enough to see a whale, we did see numerous adult and baby dolphins that seemed more than happy to “perform” for us by leaping out of the water and “talking” to us by making sounds. As we left, they raced our boat for quite some time, all while continuing to jump in and out of the water. If you ever get a chance to take one of those types of excursions, it is well worth the money and quite a nice experience, especially for children. Be sure to check the company’s website page before hopping aboard, because many offer free online information and discount coupons for the entire family!