Dolphins of the World

DOLPHINS OF THE WORLD Introduction : All dolphins belong to the cetacean family. This order includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. There is some debate over how many different species of dolphins there really are. Some say there are 32 different species, while others 33. It all depends on whether the White Whale is considered a dolphin. Points of interest: Dolphins sleep only with one half of their brain at a time! Remember Dolphins are conscious breathers. Should they sleep and go unconscious as we do they would simply suffocate or drown. Sleeping Dolphins can be seen as resting, floating at the surface, with one eye open. After a time, they will close the one eye and open the other one. Cetaceans can taste, but have no sense of smell. Only 5 specific species live in fresh water.

Dolphin Facts: 1. Dolphins are mammals. As all mammals, dolphins nurse their young from mammary glands. 2. Dolphins can swim up to 260 m. below the surface of the ocean. However they are mainly shallow divers as they need to reach the surface to breathe. 3. Dolphins can stay up to 15 minutes under water. 4. Dolphins use a technique called echolocation. This technique uses the same principles of a radar, and it is used to find food and navigate. 5. Dolphins are social beings. Dolphins live in groups and cooperate among each other for activities like getting food and calf-raising.

7. The largest dolphin is the Orca, also known as “killer whale”. Orcas grow up to 6.1 meters long and belong to the toothed cetacean family just like dolphins do. 8. The most popular dolphin is the “bottlenose dolphin". Bottlenose dolphins are the ones we have seen on television, movies and aquatic shows. Bottlenose dolphins can grow up to 2.8 meters. 9. Dolphins communicate by making a unique signature whistle that may help individual dolphins recognize each other, collaborate and perform several other kinds of communication. 10. The fastest dolphins can reach up to 32 km/h.

Haeviside's Dolphin Heaviside's dolphins are a small, short-beaked dolphin found only off the southwest coast of Africa Heaviside's dolphins are about 1.7 meters (5 ft 7 in) long and have no pronounced beak. Their body shape is stocky rather than sleek, and they have blunt oar-shaped flippers. The name Heaviside's dolphin came about because the UK surgeon and scientific collector, Captain Heaviside, was its discoverer.

Black Dolphin The Black Dolphin is one of the smallest of all of the cetaceans. (4-6 feet - Weight: lb ) Other Names Used: White-Bellied Dolphin; Chilean Black Dolphin; Chilean Dolphin. Black Dolphins are found along the coastal waters of Chile

Hector's Dolphin The Hector's Dolphin is only found off the coast of New Zealand. It is one of the rarest dolphins in the world. It is also one of the smallest dolphins in the world – it can fit inside a bathtub. There is a distinctive finger-like swoosh of white that extends from the belly, along the flanks towards the tail. The rest of the body is grey.