Dolphins Have Names For Each Other And Can Talk And Understand Each Other Over The Phone

Each year on April 14th, National Dolphin Day recognizes the social and intelligent mammals of the water.

• Dolphins are cetacean mammals that are related to whales and porpoises. Found worldwide, they prefer the shallower seas of the continental shelves.
• As carnivores, their diet consists of mostly fish and squid.
• Male dolphin – bull
• Female dolphin – cow
• Young dolphin – calf
• Group of dolphins – school or pod
• Dolphins are known to have acute eyesight both in and out of the water.
• They also have a well-developed sense of touch, with free nerve endings densely packed in the skin.
• Since they additionally have such acute hearing, they can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of what adult humans can.
• Dolphins are also capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal air sacs located just below the blowhole.
• You will see the dolphins frequently leaping above the water’s surface. They do this for various reasons; when traveling, jumping saves them energy as there is less friction while in the air. Their leaps even have a name called porpoising.
• Some other explanations for leaping include orientation, social display, fighting, non-verbal communication, entertainment and attempting to dislodge parasites.
• The United States National Marine Mammal Foundation conducted a study revealing that dolphins, like humans, develop a natural form of type 2 diabetes. This discovery may lead to a better understanding of the disease and new treatments for both humans and dolphins.
• There are 40 existing species of dolphins. Most species live in shallow waters of tropical and temperate oceans. Five species live in rivers.
• Dolphins can recognize themselves in the mirror, and they love to admire themselves.
• Dolphins have the longest memory in the animal kingdom.
• Dolphins can talk and understand each other over the phone.
• Dolphins have names for each other and call out to each other specifically
• A dolphin’s sonar or echolocation is rare in nature and is far superior to either the bat’s sonar or human-made sonar.
• A dolphin can produce whistles for communication and clicks for sonar at the same time, which would be like a human speaking in two voices, with two different pitches, holding two different conversations.
• Because dolphins are connected to their mothers by an umbilical cord inside a womb, dolphins have belly buttons.
• A 260-pound dolphin eats approximately 33 pounds of fish daily without gaining weight, which is akin to a human eating 15 to 22 pounds of steak a day.
• Dolphins can swim up to 30 miles (48.3 km) per hour
• It is in the nature of the dolphins to stick with their mothers for a long time before they leave their pack. Some stay with their mothers for 3 or even 8 years!
• When they are asleep, one part of their brain remains alert and awake. This keeps them safe from potential predators, and enables them to breathe while sleeping.
• Opposite to their name, Killer Whales belong to the dolphin family. Killer Whales, reaching up to a length of 30 feet, are the biggest of their kind.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Fact Retriever

Aquaworld