Marine Mammals & Cetaceans Interactive In the animal kingdom there are many instead of teeth, have a series of comb- catching, not chewing, their food. There different groups or “classes” such as like plates called baleen which they use to are ten different families of toothed Dolphin Programs: reptiles, birds, amphibians and strain plankton and shrimp from the water whales. mammals. All mammals have five as a food source. A New Approach characteristics in common: Though many people often confuse the two, dolphins and porpoises are to Education • warm-blooded different families of toothed whales. Divided into six different species, • breath air Dolphins by nature are curious porpoises are generally smaller than creatures, commonly • give birth to live young dolphins, darker in color, and found in investigating people swimming • born with hair deeper and cooler waters. Porpoises usually lack the rostrum or in their environment —- the • nurse their young “bottlenose” that most dolphins have. ocean. Their amiability has Another distinct trait of porpoises is stirred the fascination with Dolphins are one of many marine their teeth: they have flat, spade- which we view these animals. mammals that inhabit the sea, shaped teeth versus the conical- others being manatees, otters, shaped teeth of dolphins. Beginning in the early 1980’s, a sea lions and whales. few facilities around the world Though often confused to be the Finally, there are about thirty species All the whales, dolphins and same type of cetacean, porpoises of dolphins found in our oceans, a few began to offer a new and porpoises belong to the order different type of dolphin and dolphins are distinctly being the white-sided, spotted and called Cetacea, which can be different in size and appearance. presentation commonly referred bottlenose. It is the Atlantic further divided into three smaller bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops to as a “swim program.” groups known as suborders. The truncatus , that is most well known to Archeocetes were the ancient whales The largest suborder is the Odontocetes , people. These animals tend to live in Whether structured as a and are now extinct. The second also known as the toothed whales which the shallow waters in which people shallow-water encounter or an group, the Mysticetes, include, among includes groups such as the sperm frequently choose to swim and boat. actual swim format, these others, the gigantic blue, grey and whales, belugas and dolphins. The This species of dolphin also does very interactive programs were humpback whales. Members of this number of teeth may vary with the well under human care and are usually designed to create a new kind suborder have two blowholes and species, but all use their teeth for your marine park performers. of awareness, one that would come from a personal interaction with the animals in a Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins safe and healthy environment. The Atlantic bottlenose dolphin can be Research confirms that these animals The oldest dolphin under human care found throughout the temperate, currently live equally as long under human lived to be 54 years of age. Due to tropical and sub-tropical waters of the care and, in many cases, live longer, public display, advances in animal care Atlantic Ocean. With a great deal of healthier lives than their counterparts in and medicine have greatly contributed to variety in size, appearance and the wild. In marine parks and aquariums, the improved health of cetaceans under behaviors, these dolphins are dolphins are protected from the dangers of human care, as well as to the successful further divided into approximately nine pollution, predators, and events such as El rehabilitation and release of stranded, different sub-species. Nino, which triggered food shortages for injured animals. many marine mammals in the late 1990’s. (continued…) For example, the At Dolphin Encounters, we fulfill bottlenose dolphins off the the dreams of our guests in United Kingdom may meeting these incredible weigh up to 1200 pounds and migrate short animals and plant a new seed distances to locate food or of conservation in each person, evade predators. In the one that is taken home and shallow Bahamian waters, nurtured in their local Atlantic bottlenose environment, ocean or dolphins grow up to nine otherwise. feet in length weighing up to 500 pounds. Average lifespan for this species in the wild is approximately 25 years. Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Dolphin Encounters Nassau, Bahamas Natural History Bottlenose Dolphins continued... Cetaceans In general dolphins are well known for their bottlenose then bounce off objects and return to the dolphin in or rostrum with the built-in smile. The rostrum is a the form of echoes. Each echo is absorbed through In The Wild: bony extension of their skull used to touch and move the hollow lower jaw and transmitted via a fatty fluid objects since they don’t have hands. The hair on a to an acoustic window and then to the inner ear. A Shared Future dolphin’s upper rostrum —- a “mustache” of sorts — When the dolphin processes the sounds, it can tell falls out either just before the animal is born or shortly the size, shape, density, distance and speed of an For cetaceans and all marine life to thrive in the thereafter. object. Thus, they can not only locate an object, but oceans we must make a conscious effort to also scan the object similar in function to an protect our oceans directly and indirectly. Inside the mouth, 77 to 100 conically-shaped teeth ultrasound. can be found. Remember, dolphins do not chew their Recycling and disposing of trash, toxins or food. The teeth are used to grasp prey before Echolocation is very helpful tool for dolphins in the pollutants properly is a beginning. swallowing it whole. The stomach of a dolphin is wild. It is used for navigation, finding food, avoiding highly acidic, capable of digesting whole foods. As predators and communication with other dolphins. Driftnets and indiscriminate fishing techniques far as diet, these dolphins are known as “catholic” Scientists believe that dolphins may also be able to can only be prevented by international public feeders, eating whatever fish species is locally produce a strong enough burst of sound to pressure. Public support was the main reason available. Primarily they eat schooling fish — herring, temporarily debilitate their prey, giving them the the “dolphin safe” tuna label was so successful mackerel, mullet or capelin to name a few — but also extra edge when hunting. in decreasing unnecessary deaths from 200,000 some crustaceans and molluscs, such as squid or shrimp. to less than 3,000 each season. You can make a difference by having a voice. Vocalizations Finally, human curiosity must have its limits The blowhole on top of the dolphin’s head is their nose. Dolphins can remain submerged up to 8 when it endangers the lives of the animals with minutes but generally take a breath about every 30 whom we are so fascinated. By staying an seconds. In fact the blowhole is the only place observer in the wild, you will ensure the wild they breathe. The blowhole, not the mouth, is also animals of today will be here for your children in the only place from which sounds come. Beneath the future. Enjoy the intimate experience you the opening of the blowhole are three pairs of have had today and protect these incredible nasal air sacs and by squeezing air from one sac Dolphins can project sounds through animals by staying an observer in the wild. to another, dolphins produce sounds. the melon & use the lower jaw as an When you go home, share the information and Vocalizations are broken down into three main antenna to listen to the returning echos, types: buzzes, clicks and whistles. the knowledge you have gained today. Thanks which can be used to help "see" prey for all your effort! Fins when hunting or to help navigate. The dorsal fin on the back is used for stability much Surf the Web!!! like a keel on a boat. It is made of collagen, a fibrous Social Groups Surf the Web!!! connective tissue similar to the cartilage in your nose and ears. The pectoral fins or front flippers are used Dolphins and whales are gregarious animals and for stopping and steering. An x-ray will reveal five usually travel in social groups called pods. Larger digits and the same number of bones found in a groups of pods are referred to as a school. In deep human arm from the fingertips to the shoulder. This waters offshore, animals may travel in large with the support of other evidence, indicates that groups, even up to hundreds of individuals, and these animals migrated back into the oceans about commonly travel in shallow water in small groups 53.5 million years ago. The tail flukes of a dolphin are less than a dozen. Adult males are also commonly very powerful and are also made of collagen. Using found in shallow waters swimming alone or with their tails dolphins propel themselves in the water up another adult male to which it has bonded. These to 25 miles per hour. “pair bonds” appear to be long term relationships for males which may last the rest of their lives. Eyesight Surfing the web has become one Dolphins have several acute senses. Their eyesight Generally, dolphin pods can be grouped into three is as good as a human’s, however dolphins have the types: adult males, juvenile males and the last of the fastest ways to access ability to compensate for the refraction of the light group being mothers, females and calves. information about dolphins, marine Organized as a matriarchal society, females usually waves as they pass through the surface of the eye careers and ocean conservation! underwater, allowing dolphins to see well both above do not allow males within their social group unless it and below the surface of the water.