All About Dolphins

If you’ve ever been to the beach, you may have been lucky enough to see a sleek, silver fish jumping up out of the ocean with some of its friends. These fish, called dolphins, are some of the most intelligent and playful creatures found in the sea. Dolphins are known to be social creatures and have even been spotted riding along side surfers close to the shore! These fascinating animals are very complex and similar to human beings, making them very interesting to learn about.

What are some facts about dolphins?

Dolphins are one of the most similar creatures to human beings. They, along with certain species of whales, are the only animals known to have larger brains than human beings. They also communicate with fellow dolphins using sounds, such as clicks and whistles. While humans and dolphins share many similarities, they also possess some interesting abilities that humans do not. For instance, dolphins never fully fall asleep. When dolphins need to rest, half of their brain “shuts off” while the other side remains fully awake. This happens because dolphins don’t unconsciously breathe like humans do. In order to keep breathing, they must be conscious and aware of what they are doing.

Why are dolphins important?

Dolphins are also very important to the ecosystems they live in. Dolphins eat different types of fish and squid, and they also serve as food for larger fish, such as sharks. Without dolphins, the squid and fish population in the ocean would greatly increase while sharks would be left without a source of food. Additionally, since sharks consume fish and squid, scientists can study dolphins to see if there are high levels of pollutants and contaminants in the ocean environment. If high levels of toxins are found in a dolphins body, scientists will know that the fish and squid are contaminated, meaning the ocean should be “cleaned up” so no animals are harmed. 

So where do dolphins live?

Dolphins usually live in oceans near the coast or brackish water (water that is a mix of salt and freshwater). However, there are certain species of dolphins that live in bodies of freshwater, like rivers. Some examples of this are the South Asian River dolphin (these dolphins are actually blind) and the Amazon River Dolphin. Many dolphins that live in the ocean are friendly with humans and enjoy getting very close to people. Although it isn’t very common, dolphins can and do bite humans, so it is a good idea to keep some distance if you encounter a dolphin, despite them usually being kind. 

What can humans do to protect dolphins?

When humans aren’t careful to throw their trash away into trash cans or recycling bins, there is a chance that trash could eventually end up in a body of fresh or saltwater. Marine animals, including dolphins, often mistake this trash for food, which can harm or kill them as it passes through their digestive tract. In order to stop this from happening, humans need to always throw their trash away in designated disposal areas, especially when visiting beaches or rivers where these marine animals live. In addition to this, humans can also use laundry detergents and other cleaners that do not contain phosphate. Phosphate is a chemical that can pollute bodies of water if enough of it leaks into an ocean or river. When people use cleaners with phosphate, those cleaners can leak from the sewage systems they are disposed into and into bodies of water, harming marine animals, like dolphins. By making these simple efforts, we can keep nnhabitats for dolphins and many other marine animals safe and healthy so they can live and thrive for many years to come.