The dolphins are mammals belonging to the family Delphinidae and it is probably the most popular, charismatic and intelligent animal kingdom marine creatures.These characteristics and many other peculiarities make us humans become very interested in these cetaceans and their intelligence.Maybe you are looking for some dolphin curiosities for children or you may want to know more about the species.In any case, you have arrived at the right place!
In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will show you 10 curiosities of dolphins based on scientific studies that ensure its truthfulness, surely you discover many things you did not know about dolphins! If you want to know curious facts about dolphins, don't think about it, read on...
1.How many types of dolphins are there in the world?
As we have advanced in the introduction, oceanic dolphins or dolphins are mammals that belong to the family Delphinidae , which includes more than 30 different species. more than 2,000 dolphins in captivity , who live in water parks, dolphinariums and even in commercial enclosures.
It is not possible to provide accurate information regarding the population of dolphins in freedom , but it would be around 9 million individuals .Dolphins are gregarious animals, that is, with a tendency to group, being able to create groups of up to 1,000 copies, which they communicate and relate to each other.
2.Where do dolphins live?
The habitat of the dolphins and their migration can vary depending on several factors, such as the abundance of food, the temperature or the distance to the shore.They usually opt for shallow, near-shore waters of Tropical and temperate climates , thus avoiding colder waters.For that reason, we can find dolphins in virtually anywhere in the world.3.Dolphin communication
The forms of communication that dolphins emit when interacting with each other and with the environment is probably one of the aspects that has generated a greater interest in the scientific community.Dolphins use a very developed and sensitive method that It is called "echolocation" to receive information about the environment in which they are located, but they also perform "vocal specializations" of high and low frequency to communicate with each other and even with other marine individuals.
Since some porpoises seem to use the echolocation system in a rhythmic way to communicate with each other and not only to interact with the environment, it is estimated that dolphins may also have developed vocal specializations and auditory, thus generating a varied and complex communication system .[1]
The wide variety of whistles produced by dolphins can vary according to ambient noise [2] and their variety and complexity demonstrate their important cognitive abilities.Some of the functions of the whistles are the recognition of specific individuals , the cohesion in the group or the coordination of movements, hunting or surveillance among others.[3] [4]
4.Do dolphins use tools?
A study conducted in a group of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops sp.) in freedom revealed that some individuals, mostly females, used sponges as tools during foraging.from observing them for days it was concluded that they used them for the search for food .Although this hypothesis is the most supported, it is also estimated that dolphins can use sponges for activities related to the game or that take advantage of some of its components, for example for medicinal purposes.In any case, sponge transport is a common specialization of dolphin behavior.[5]
5.Is it true that dolphins sleep with one eye open?
The Dolphins do not sound the same way as other mammals, in fact, a study published in 1964 explained that bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) slept with one eye open and one closed and suggested that it could be due to a state of alertness to possible predators .However, no physiological correlation was observed between the cerebral hemisphere and the open eye, so it could not be demonstrated that this type of behavior had a real surveillance function.
Later, another study conducted on white Pacific dolphins ( Lagenorhynchus obliquidens ) in captivity showed that this particular group opened or closed the eyes depending on the position in the pool of other group members, therefore, it is estimated that they open and close their eyes during the hours of sleep to ensure eye contact with other members of the same group social.[6]
6.What do dolphins eat?
In the early stages of life, the dolphin feeds only on breast milk, until it begins to hunt itself and feed on other resources.The dolphins are carnivorous and their diet is mainly based on the consumption of fish, octopus, molluscs and other invertebrates .Dolphins can eat amazingly large prey, even those that can exceed 4 or 6 kilograms, since gobble instead of chewing .This form of feeding prevents the spines or fins of their prey from being stuck.
7.Dolphin intelligence
The dolphins are rational animals , that is, they are able to understand and represent the environment in which they live, make logical thoughts and draw conclusions from them.They can also modify their intentional behaviors thus creating new models of interaction and looking for new perspectives or objectives.These are intelligent animals, both behavioral, cognitive or social.They are aware of themselves, are capable of carrying through different procedures or methods, they have a social conscience and also show a complex domain of language and natural forms of communication of the species.[8]
8.Are dolphins bisexual?
While conducting a study on bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) in captivity, homosexual and heterosexual behaviors were observed in individuals, as well as practice of masturbation in males.[7] Likewise, a documentary about homosexuality in the animal kingdom of National Geographic, identifies dolphins as very affective creatures who carry out regular sexual practices, which include couple sex with members of the same and different sex or who practice sex in group.
9.Do dolphins attack man?
They are extremely rare cases of dolphin attacks on human beings in freedom.In most cases they are dolphins that confuse people with prey, so they end up releasing them, but it can also happen if humans bother them or try to interact with them.On the contrary, cases of dolphin attacks on people in captivity are more common and Some dolphin defense organizations, such as SOS Dolphins, state the living conditions of these animals as the main cause.
10.The effects of captivity on dolphins
The living conditions of dolphins in captivity directly affect their physical and psychological well-being .Although they are tried to offer a wide environment and mental stimulation is practiced with them, the truth is is that space limitations and the constant auditory and sound stimuli reduce the quality of life of dolphins in captivity.They also influence the lack of natural seawater or food based on frozen fish. life expectancy of dolphins in captivity is around 20 years old, while in its natural environment it is around 50 years old.
On the sidelines Of the aforementioned factors, special attention should also be given to the socialization of dolphins, since most of them do not have a sufficiently large group.Others have been introduced into their pools exemplary of other families, or worse, there are also dolphins who live alone.
All these factors cause stress and anxiety in these intelligent cetaceans, being able to generate a state of chronic stress that acts directly in their immune system predisposing them to suffer various diseases For that reason, more and more organizations are struggling so that dolphins can be taken in captivity to sanctuaries and specialized marine shelters.
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References
Peter L.Tyack, Studying how Cetaceans use Sound to Explore their Environment , Part of the Perspectives in Ethology book series (PEIE, volume 12 ) Tadamichi Morisaka, Masanori Shinohara, Fumio Nakahara, and Tomonari Akamatsu, Effects of ambient noise on the whistles of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin poplations , American Society of Mammalogists April 17 2004 Vincent M.Janik, Cognitive skills in bottlenose dolphin communication , Trends in Cognitive Sciences Volume 17 Issue 4, April 2013 R.Smolker, A.Richards, R.Connor, J.Mann, P.Berggren., Sponge Carrying by Dolphins ( Delphinidae, Tursiops sp.): A Foraging Specialization Involving Tool Use? , International journal of behavioral biology Ethology, April 26, 2010 P.Dawn, Behavioral aspects of sleep in pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, Gill 1865) Issue Online 26 August 2006 McBride, AF,&Hebb, DO (1948). Behavior of the captive bottle-nose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus .Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 41 (2), 111-123.Herman, LM (2006).Intelligence and rational behavior in the bottlenosed dolphin.In S.Hurley&M.Nudds ( Eds.), Rational animals? (pp.439-467).New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press.
Bibliography
- SOS Dolphins
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