08.11.2020 Animal of the week: Dolphins

Hello,

This week we are going to talk about dolphins.

Habitat

Dolphins live in all of the oceans in the world. They also live in big rivers such as the Amazon in Brazil. Different species live in different parts of the world. Some species prefer coastal waters while others spend days at a time out on the high seas.

Are dolphins fish or mammals?

Although dolphins live in water they are not fish. Here are only two of the main reasons why dolphins aren't fish. Dolphins have lungs, whereas fish have gills. Because dolphins have lungs, they have to come up to the surface every few minutes. Fish are cold-blooded. Dolphins are warm-blooded. Dolphins are related to whales, who are also mammals.

Different types

There are almost 40 types of dolphin that live in the ocean and 6 types of river dolphins that live in rivers. The biggest type of dolphin is the orca or the killer whale. The smallest type of dolphin is the hector's dolphin.

Swimming with dolphins

Swimming with dolphins is something that most people really want to do. It is a relaxing and nice experience for humans. But what is it like for the dolphins? Scientists have found out that swimming near dolphins and trying to touch them can be uncomfortable and stressful for the dolphins. They find it difficult to relax, to eat and struggle to feed their young.

I hope you enjoyed this post about dolphins.

Sources:
https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/facts-about-dolphins/
https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/dolphins

Images:
1: Gray Dolphin on Body of Water is owned by Guillaume Hankenne on pexels.com.
2: Black Dolphin in Body of Water is owned by Joe Boyne on pexels.com.

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