Six amazing facts about Dolphins you should know
What's the story
Dolphins are utterly cute, ever-smiling creatures who love to play around and perform cool tricks. These beautiful aquatic mammals have fascinated the human mind for a long time, but the odd part is that we still don't know much about them. So, if you also grew up loving these amazing sea animals, here are six interesting facts you should know about Dolphins.
Fact 1
There are 44 different species of Dolphins
Although Bottlenose dolphins are the most well-known and recognizable type, there are as many as 44 dolphin species swimming through the waters of the world. While most species live in temperate and tropical oceans, but a few others call colder oceans or rivers as their home. Depending on their species, dolphins can vary largely in their physical qualities and behavior.
Fact 2
Dolphins don't chew but swallow their food
Although dolphins do have a whole lot of teeth, they don't like to trouble them much. In fact, they use their teeth simply to catch prey, and then swallow the whole of it. But, what about the digestion, you may ask? Well, dolphins have multiple stomach chambers, one of which is devoted to digestion, while others are meant for storing undigested food.
Fact 3
Dolphins give birth to one calf at a time
Although it varies across species, most female dolphins carry their babies for 9-17 months, and typically give birth to one calf at a time. The nursing continues for one to two years. A calf usually stays with its mother for a time period ranging between one to seven years, before mating and having its own calves.
Fact 4
Dolphins communicate via clicks and whistles
Dolphins have developed a unique language for themselves for making underwater communication. Typically, in order to navigate the ocean or find prey, dolphins make clicking sounds. They communicate with fellow dolphins by making whistling sounds. They even make loud burst-pulse sounds when they feel excited or angry. However, many aspects of the dolphin language still remain a mystery to scientists.
Fact 5
Dolphins give themselves names
It's not just humans who bestow themselves with names - dolphins are also known to do so. And no, they don't swim around carrying name tags. In fact, every dolphin has its own unique whistle. Dolphins use these signature whistles to reach out to one another throughout life, and may even remember them for a number of decades.
Fact 6
Dolphins are great at taking 'naps'
Since dolphins cannot breathe underwater, they need to swim up to the surface of the ocean to get air, leaving them little time to sleep. So, instead of dozing off for a number of hours at a time, dolphins take short "naps". They tend to rest one hemisphere of their brain for 15-20 minutes, and they do this several times through the day.