April 14, 2020 - 10 Facts About Dolphins

Today is National Dolphin Day. 

Here are 10 flipping facts about dolphin that you didn’t know, that you didn’t need to know:

1.   They use advanced communication
   1. Scientists are still trying to decode their language
   2. They make clicking sounds to find prey
   3. They whistle to talk
   4. They use a burst-pulse sound
      1. Use this when they are excited
      2. Use this when they are afraid
      3. They use this when they are reprimanding their young
   5. They use intentional communication
      1. A group of dolphins in florida have a system
         1. One swims in circles making a mud net to surround fish
         2. One uses whistles and clicks to call other dolphins
         3. They all surround the circle
         4. Then the fish can’t escape without getting eaten
         5. This is the only known pod that does this
2.  42 types of dolphins and none of them are porpoises
   1. Porpoises are from a different family
      1. They are actually whales
      2. They also have different physical attributes
         1. Flat noses/no beak
         2. Different teeth
         3. Smaller than the average dolphin
         4. Pointier dorsal fin 
   2. There are a few types of river dolphins
      1. Swim in freshwater
      2. Most are pink
      3. Amazon
      4. Bolivian
      5. Araguaian
      6. Indus
      7. Some saltwater dolphins have migrated to freshwater and live there exclusively now.
3.  They don’t chew with their teeth (*usually)
   1. They use their teeth to catch prey
      1. Fish 
      2. Squid
      3. Seals and sea lions
   2. They have multiple chambers in their stomachs to help with the digestion
   3. They have 1 set of teeth that last them their whole lives
   4. They are born under the gums like humans
      1. Takes 5 weeks for them to come out
   5. The average dolphin has about 80-100 teeth
      1. The long-beaked common dolphin has the most
         1. Up to 240 teeth
   6. There are a few species that have molars and they crush crab and crustacean shells with them
4. They can’t breath out of their mouth
   1. They can only breathe out of their blow-holes
      1. These are actually nostrils
      2. When they sleep only half their brains rest
         1. This allows them to swim up for air
         2. Check out the sleep episode of 10 Facts About Today
   2. They evolved this way so they wouldn’t drown when hunting and eating
   3. These type of underwater mammals can hold more oxygen in their blood
      1. This makes them able to hold their breath longer than land mammals 
5.   They are extremely intelligent
   1. They seem to be about as smart as apes
   2. Their brains have developed very similar to humans
   3. They are self aware
      1. If you put a mirror in front of them they stop swimming and stare
         1. This is different from how they react to seeing other dolphins
      2. They do self directed behaviors
         1. They will make fin movements not usually seen in the wild
         2. Look inside their mouths
         3. Twisting to see their bellies
   4. They use echolocation
   5. Their brain to body size ratio is the largest in the worth after humans
6. Killer Whales (Orcas) are actually a type of Dolphin
   1. Largest Dolphin 
   2. 30 Ft long
   3. Smallest Dolphin is Maui Dolphin (5ft)
7.  Dolphins are highly social and they have squads
   1. Close friend groups
   2. Don’t spend equal time with all dolphins
8. Every dolphin has a unique “name”.
   1. They have a unique whistle
   2. Use them for life           
   3. Female dolphin teach their calves their whistles before they are born                                                                                           
9.  There was a lady that was in a relationship with a dolphin.
   1. 1960’s
   2. NASA Funded Research
   3. Working to understand Dolphin communication and see if they could be taught human languages or if we could understand theirs.
10.  The U.S. Navy has trained dolphins to protect nuclear weapons.  
    1. Trained to find enemy swimmers, 
    2. locate underwater mines
    3. guard nuclear arsenals.