Each year on April 14th, people across the nation participate in National Dolphin Day.
Dolphins are cetacean mammals that are related to whales and porpoises.
Ranging is size from 4 ft to up to 30 feet; dolphins are among almost forty species in 17 genera.
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 along with having a well-developed sense of touch, with free nerve endings densely packed in the skin. They can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of what adult humans can and are capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal air sacs located just below the blowhole.
Living in pods of up to a dozen dolphins, they are highly social animals. Pods do merge in areas where there is an abundance of food, forming superpods, which may exceed 1,000 dolphins. Dolphins can, and do, establish strong bonds within their pods and will stay with injured or ill individuals, even helping them to breathe by bringing them to the surface if needed.
You will see the dolphins frequently leaping above the waters surface. They do this for various reasons; when traveling, jumping saves them energy as there is less friction while in the air, this is known as 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 that revealed that dolphins, like humans, develop a natural form of type 2 diabetes which may lead to a better understanding of the disease and new treatments for both humans and dolphins.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Use #NationalDolphinDay to post on social media.
HISTORY
National Dolphin Day, an unofficial national holiday, is listed as part of the American Veterinary Medical Association Pet Health Awareness Events.
