Dolphins - Amazing Creatures Of The Ocean

Since dolphins swim in the water many people think that they must be fish. However, dolphins are in fact warm-blooded mammals that breathe air and give birth to baby dolphins rather than lay eggs. This fact alone makes dolphins unique creatures, but they also have many more characteristics that make them one of the most interesting animals on the planet.

If you happen to experience dolphins from close ranges, then you will be aware of their unique characteristics for which they are famous. Dolphins are cetaceans like the whales and are placed along with whales in the group called odontocetes, since they have teeth. However, some Whales do not have teeth for feeding and are placed under the group mysticetes.

Dolphins live in tropical and warm waters. Many people are unaware of the fact that rivers and freshwaters are also home to few species of dolphins. These dolphins are however endangered and exist in very few numbers.

Almost 57 species of dolphins exist in the world. All dolphins have a lustrous body, which is very sleek. They have a typical long-beak like nose which is called the "rostrum". Very often, spectators tend to confuse between the porpoise and the dolphins. Both look similar in looks but are in fact different animals. The difference can be seen in their teeth. The porpoise have teeth shaped like spades for digging rocks, whereas the dolphins have teeth shaped like cones. One more main difference is that porpoises live in very cold water which cannot be tolerated by the dolphins.

The Orca or the killer whale is one of the most common species of dolphins. When people think of the most dominating and ferocious creature in the sea, the Orca or the Killer whale comes to everyone's mind. They are also the most fearless amongst all sea animals.

Female dolphins are pregnant for twelve months before delivering their babies, or calves as they are known. The calves weigh between 30 and 40 pounds and are about 30 inches long. They will nurse from their mothers until they are two years old.

Even after they're weaned, the dolphin calf will swim and play with its mother for between five and seven years. During this time the young dolphin will learn how to find food and to interact socially with its relatives.

Dolphins live and travel together in what is called a "pod". It is the female dolphins that are the ones that do most of the interacting with the young dolphins, while the males play a more aloof part in the parenting process.

The Dolphins are considered very friendly and are amongst the most wonderful animals on earth due to their intelligence and easy mingling with the humans. They try to convey through chirping their tongue whenever they interact with humans. This fact keeps the humans curious about this wonderful animal forever.

Article Source: http://www.parentingarticlelibrary.com

About the author: Joshua Plansden is the proprietor of A Dolphins Fan, a fantastic website to visit when you are searching for the latest knowledge, accurate up to date advice and commentary about dolphins, For more articles on dolphins why not visit: www.adolphinsfan.com/articles
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