Dolphins - interesting facts for children and adults. Bottlenose Dolphins. Photos and sightings of bottlenose dolphins All about dolphins
Each dolphin in the ocean has its own name, which it responds to when its relatives call it. He receives it immediately as soon as he is born, and it is a characteristic whistle lasting 0.9 seconds. Dolphins not only call each other by name, but also introduce themselves when meeting strangers. And identifying a relative by voice without seeing him is a piece of cake for them.
Dolphins are mammals from the family of toothed whales of the cetacean order. There are about forty species of these animals on the planet, and they can be seen anywhere in the world’s oceans. Most dolphins prefer to live in tropical and subtropical latitudes, but there are some that like colder waters, so they can be seen near the Arctic, and some species are found both there. For example, although the white-beaked dolphin lives mainly in the North Atlantic, it can often be seen off the coast of Turkey.
Most members of the family (for example, bottlenose dolphins, white-beaked dolphins) are marine inhabitants, but there are four species that prefer to live in fresh river or lake water. The river dolphin lives in Asia, as well as in the waters of the South American Amazon and Orinoco rivers.
Unfortunately, if previously representatives of this family were often encountered, now the river dolphin, due to loss of habitats, environmental pollution, decreased food supply and small populations, has practically disappeared and is listed in the Red Book.
Description
The length of dolphins ranges from one and a half to ten meters. The smallest dolphin in the world is Maui, which lives near New Zealand: the length of the female does not exceed 1.7 meters. The white-faced dolphin, about three meters long, is considered a large inhabitant of the deep sea. The largest representative is the killer whale: males reach ten meters in length.
It is worth noting that males are usually ten to twenty centimeters longer than females (the exception is killer whale dolphins - here the difference is about two meters). They weigh on average from one hundred fifty to three hundred kilograms, the killer whale weighs about a ton.
The backs of sea dolphins can be gray, blue, dark brown, black and even pink (albinos). The front part of the head can be either plain or white (for example, the white-faced dolphin has a white beak and the front part of its forehead).
In some species, the front mouth is rounded and there is no beak-shaped mouth. In others, small ones, the head ends in an elongated mouth in the shape of a flattened “beak”, and the mouth is shaped in such a way that it seems to people watching them that they are always smiling, and therefore they often have an irresistible desire to swim with dolphins. At the same time, the impression is not spoiled even by the huge number of teeth of the same cone shape - dolphins have about two hundred of them.
Thanks to their elongated body and smooth, elastic skin, these animals hardly feel the resistance of the water while moving. Thanks to this, they are able to move very quickly (the average speed of a dolphin is 40 km/h), dive to a depth of about one hundred meters, jump out of the water nine meters in height and five in length.
Another unique feature of these marine mammals is that almost all species of dolphins (with the exception of the Amazon river dolphin and several other species) have good vision both underwater and above the surface. They have this ability due to the structure of the retina, one part of which is responsible for the image in the water, the other - above its surface.
Since whales and dolphins are relatives, like all representatives of cetaceans, they are quite capable of staying under water for a long period. But they still need oxygen, so they constantly float to the surface, showing their blue muzzle and replenishing air reserves through the blowhole, which closes under water. Even during sleep, the animal is fifty centimeters from the surface and, without waking up, swims out every half a minute.
way of life
Dolphins live in schools and do not tolerate loneliness very well. Although they do not have a leader, they carry out all actions in coordination: they hunt together, raise children, have fun, performing amazingly beautiful jumps one after another.
The dolphin is considered one of the most intelligent mammals on our planet: the weight of its brain is 1700 grams, which is three hundred grams more than a human, and the convolutions in the cerebral cortex are also twice as large. This explains their highly developed social consciousness, ability to sympathize, readiness to help sick and wounded relatives, as well as drowning people.
Dolphins help quite actively: if one of the members of the pod is injured or barely stays afloat, they support him near the surface so that he cannot drown and choke. They do the same in relation to a person, also helping to get to the shore. Some scientists explain why dolphins do this by caring for the population: each individual in the pod is valuable - and everything must be done to save its life.
Language
To communicate, animals use gestures (turns, jumps, various swimming styles, head, fins, tail), as well as voice: the sounds of dolphins are about 14 thousand signals, and everyone has heard about the songs of dolphins. These unique animals are capable of perceiving vibration frequencies of up to 200 thousand per second, while the human ear is up to 20 thousand.
They are also four times more capable of analyzing dolphin sounds by separating frequencies from each other (a lot of research has been done lately to find out why dolphins have these abilities). Communication occurs mainly with the help of ultrasound (it is especially convenient for them to use it to transmit sound over vast distances).
Dolphin songs are not only ultrasound: the sounds of dolphins often sound at a medium frequency and are expressed by clicks, creaks, and whistles (studies have shown that they perceive their speech as hieroglyphic pictures).
There are two types of dolphin sounds:
- Sonar or echolocation - animals hear the echo of a beating sound and identify it;
- Whistling or chirping - these sounds of dolphins are used for close communication with their relatives and the animals express their emotions with them. Scientists have counted about 186 different types of “whistles”, which, like human speech, contain sounds, syllables, words, phrases, paragraphs, context and dialect.
Nutrition
Dolphins' diet is based on fish, squid, shrimp (some dolphins in the ocean are quite capable of diving to a depth of 260 kilometers to catch their favorite prey); killer whales eat marine mammals and birds.
They catch fish in different ways. Sometimes the whole school of dolphins searches for her, sometimes in a separate group or they send a scout to look for her.
If the hunt takes place in the open sea, dolphins surround a large school of fish, crowding them into a heap, after which they take turns diving there and feeding. If they are fishing near the shore, the strategy is somewhat different: a school of dolphins drives the schools towards land, after which the fish are easily caught in shallow water.
Reproduction
The ability to reproduce in females appears between the fifth and twelfth years of life, in males - between the ninth and thirteenth. Their pairs are unstable and the animals change partners every time.
Exactly how long pregnancy lasts has not been established; the period is estimated to range from ten to eighteen months. When giving birth, the female is very close to the surface so that, as soon as the baby is born, she raises her tail high, giving him the opportunity to take a breath of air before falling into the water.
Usually one baby is born, about half a meter long, and until six months the mother feeds it with milk and protects it. Newborn babies usually do not fall asleep during the first month of their life and do not allow their mothers to sleep, swimming around them and surfacing every thirty seconds, forcing them to be constantly on alert.
Relationships with people
People and dolphins have a long and complex history: until recently, animals were actively hunted, which led to the complete and partial extinction of some species. After fishing was banned, the situation got better, but a new trend emerged: catching these animals for show (especially since they are very smart and catch everything on the fly) and giving people far from the sea the opportunity to swim with dolphins. It should be noted that the idea is not the best, because if in natural conditions the inhabitants of the sea live from thirty to fifty years, in captivity - only seven.
Their rapid death is primarily influenced by an overly passive lifestyle, even despite constant training to participate in the show, extremely limited space and water quality: the lack of a complete set of nutrients and minerals they need.
Recently, people and dolphins have learned to interact better (primarily this concerns humans, since these animals are sociable, friendly and peaceful). Moreover, communication with these mammals benefits almost everyone: by giving the opportunity to listen to the songs of dolphins, communicate, stroke the blue back, feed fish, swim with dolphins, psychotherapists and doctors effectively use them to treat diseases in children such as cerebral palsy, early childhood autism, etc.
1.Dolphins have long become people's favorites due to their high intelligence.
Dolphins are truly considered the smartest animals in the world. Also, dolphins are the most popular and most amazing animals among all types of sea animals.
2. Images of dolphins were found in the city of Petra in Jordan. This city was founded back in 312 BC. This means that dolphins have been “cooperating” with humans for quite a long time. Also, dolphin figurines were found in the Jordan desert. The surprising thing is that this country is far from the habitat of these animals.
3.During the times of Ancient Greece, killing a dolphin was considered sacrilege and was punishable by death. The Greeks considered them "hieros ichthys", which translated means "sacred fish".
4.The statue of Apollo at Delphi bore the image of this animal.
5. In ancient Rome, it was believed that dolphins carried souls to the “Isles of the Blessed.” Images of these animals have been found on the arms of Roman mummies, presumably to ensure their safe passage to the afterlife.
Bottlenose dolphin
6. Oceanic beauties - bottlenose dolphins, they never cease to amaze the world, they are the kindest and most sympathetic creatures on the planet. Bottlenose dolphins are the most studied species of dolphins. Probably the reason for this was their natural friendliness, ingenuity and easy learning ability. People always manage to quickly establish contact with them.
7.They live in the warm waters of the world's oceans. The bottlenose dolphin's diet consists of fish, squid and small inhabitants of the ocean depths.
8. The bottlenose dolphin is a very compassionate creature. An indicative case occurred in New Zealand in 2004. A hundred meters from the shore, four rescuers were attacked by a white shark. A school of bottlenose dolphins protected people for 40 minutes from a predator that sensed its prey. There is no explanation for this fact of kindness and compassion on the part of animals.
9. Scientists believe that several hundred years ago dolphins were much smaller than they are now.
10. Dolphins have teeth, but do not use them to chew, since their jaws are not overgrown with muscles. They are intended exclusively for catching prey, which they subsequently simply swallow whole.
White-faced dolphin
11. White-faced dolphins are inhabitants of temperate waters. They mainly live in the coastal zone and feed on bottom-dwelling fish. Most often, this species of dolphin is found off the coast of Norway, where fishing is open for them.
12.White-faced dolphins have characteristic thick teeth, which sometimes frighten people. However, you should not be afraid of them, since they eat only shellfish, fish and crustaceans. For humans, these animals are not at all dangerous, but can cause harm only through negligence during communication. Otherwise, these cute creatures are as good-natured as other members of the family.
13. Many scientists are inclined to think that dolphins are intelligent creatures that have been developing in parallel with humanity since the appearance of life on the planet. They have their own language and hierarchy, their brain activity is strikingly different from that of all other animals and fish and cannot be fully studied.
14. Research by scientists has proven that dolphins lived on land before adapting to water. When studying their fins, scientists discovered that they were actually formed and previously looked like paws and fingers. Therefore, perhaps our closest relatives are these sea creatures.
15. About 49 million years ago, the ancestors of dolphins moved into the water.
White-bellied dolphins
16. There is a species of black dolphins. In fact, it is more correct to call these animals white-bellied or Chilean dolphins. Dolphins received their unusual name due to their rather variegated coloring: the fins and belly of mammals are white, and the rest of the body is colored gray and black. Currently, this dolphin is considered the smallest of all cetaceans. They reach only 170 centimeters in length. This species of dolphin has been little studied. According to some reports, animals prefer to live in shallow water; they are often seen at river mouths, where salt water mixes with fresh water. Scientists still cannot come to a conclusion regarding the population size of this species. Some believe that there are about 4,000 black dolphins, while others speak with confidence about the figure - 2,000 individuals.
17. These animals live along the Chilean coast. Experts say that this species is not prone to migration at all and lives in its birthplaces.
Common dolphins
18. Unfortunately, black dolphins are on the verge of extinction, although they are not yet officially protected by law. Huge damage to their population is caused by fishermen, as animals regularly fall into their nets and die there.
19.According to research by scientists, each dolphin has its own name, which its relatives call it. All of them produce peculiar sounds that are difficult for the human ear to catch, but in its environment one individual differs from another precisely in its peculiar timbre and manner of communication.
20. Experiments conducted with the participation of dolphins usually baffle researchers, since they cannot form a definite opinion about the level of their intelligence. Of course, dolphins are very smart and hide secrets that humanity will study for a long time.
killer whale
21. Killer whales are considered the largest species of dolphins. Their body length can reach 30 feet. In addition, killer whales are considered one of the most ferocious killers in the world.
22. Currently, 43 species of dolphins are known. 38 of them are inhabitants of the seas and oceans, and the remaining 5 are riverine.
23. They have specific similarities with each other, such as viviparity, feeding on milk, the presence of respiratory organs, smooth skin and much more.
24.Also, different species of dolphins have their own characteristics. Some animals have an elongated nasal part, while others, on the contrary, have a depressed one. They may differ in color and body weight.
25. It is very interesting how dolphins can communicate with each other and detect prey. Researchers have discovered that these creatures have their own sounds for different life situations, and they are divided into sonar and communicative. They use sonar signals to detect prey, and communication signals for communication within the family.
26. Female dolphins help each other give birth to offspring. All other relatives provide security at this time.
27. American scientists have created a device with which they are trying to recognize the meaning of dolphin signals. Not long ago it was found that the ultrasound emitted by dolphins has a beneficial effect on human health and even helps in the treatment of certain diseases.
28. Dolphins do not have a sense of smell, but they have a sense of taste and, like humans, are able to distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter and salty tastes.
29. Dolphins breathe air. They do not have gills, like fish, but they have lungs and a blowhole on the upper part of the body. Whales and dolphins use this same blowhole to make various sounds.
30. Most dolphins cannot see objects in front of them. Dolphins and even killer whales, when looking at objects, lie on their sides and examine them with the help of one or the other eye.
31. The interaction between a dolphin and a person always has a beneficial effect on the psychological state of the latter, which is why such treatment as dolphin therapy appeared. In most cases, this therapy helps children with certain communication disorders. Autism, attention deficit disorder and even cerebral palsy can be treated by interacting with these amazing animals.
32. Dolphins interact well with people, are trainable, and can be easily tamed. These animals were trained for military purposes by the two largest world powers of the twentieth century - the USA and the USSR. Dolphins were trained to find mines, rescue sailors from sunken ships and even destroy enemy submarines, unfortunately dying in the process.
33. The average speed at which a dolphin swims is 5-12 kilometers per hour. It depends on the varieties and situations. Some of the fastest dolphins can move at speeds of up to 32 km/h.
34. Dolphins can dive up to 304 meters deep.
35. Dolphins are the only animals that give birth to their young with their tail first. Otherwise, the kids would drown.
Pilot whale dolphin
36. Scientists have discovered that bottlenose dolphins produce 17 different sound signals with which they communicate with each other. It is interesting that 5 sounds are also understood by other members of the family - pilot whales and white-sided whales.
37. Dolphin sonars are the best in nature, several times superior to bats and similar devices created by people.
38. Dolphins have two stomachs: one is for storing food, and the other is used for digestion.
39. Despite the fact that the average lifespan of dolphins is only 20 years, some centenarians can live up to 50 years. It was even recorded that one of the oldest dolphins lived for 61 years.
40. If there is not enough food in their area of residence, dolphins can migrate to other places. New habitats depend not only on the availability of food, but also on the temperature of the water, which should not be lower than their body temperature.
41. A dolphin weighing 120 kilograms needs to eat 33 kilograms of fish per day, and these animals do not gain weight and are never obese.
42. These sea animals hunt only in packs, and they also cannot live alone. Dolphin families sometimes number about 100 individuals. Thanks to these abilities, the animal is never left without abundant food.
43. Since dolphins live in a group, its problems are not alien to each individual. If a sick or weak dolphin appears in a family, then all its relatives help it and push it to the surface, giving it the opportunity to take a breath of fresh air.
44. Dolphins use echolocation to hunt. Their hearing is designed in such a way that, based on the reflected signal, animals can determine the number of objects, their volume and degree of danger. Dolphins can deafen their prey with high-frequency sounds, paralyzing them.
45. Scientists suggest that echolocation is an evolutionary process that animals acquired relatively recently.
Pink dolphin
46. The pink dolphin is considered a unique species and lives in the Amazon.
47. Dolphins swim in circles and always keep one eye on the lookout for predators to sneak up on them. After a certain period of time, they begin to swim in the opposite direction and observe with the other eye.
48. Ordinary human hearing is unable to catch the dolphin call. Humans perceive sounds up to 20 kilohertz, and dolphins emit signals at frequencies up to 200 kilohertz. Scientists have found that in the speech of these animals there are more than 180 different whistles. Dolphin sounds form syllables, words and even phrases. And representatives of dolphins from different regions each whistle in their own dialect.
49. These sea animals can jump to a height of about 6 meters.
50. Dolphins are highly revered by many peoples. In some countries, people are seriously concerned about the issue of dolphins in captivity. In order to protect animals, appropriate laws are even adopted. Laws prohibiting the keeping of dolphins in captivity have been passed in Costa Rica, Chile and Hungary. India recently joined these countries. Hindus generally consider dolphins to be individuals, and therefore they, just like people, should have rights. This means that their exploitation in captivity is unacceptable.
The interesting facts about dolphins that we have collected in this article can change the attitude of every person towards these animals. Yes, yes, specifically to animals, because they are not fish.
For many centuries, humanity has been looking for brothers in mind. To achieve this goal, people spend a lot of money on studying outer space, researching various sciences and locations. What if we are not alone even on Earth, we simply do not notice the intelligence of other representatives of the planet? We are sure that the behavior and interesting facts about dolphins will make you rethink their importance.
Despite the fact that dolphins live in water, they differ from other representatives of the seas and oceans. The fact is that animals are warm-blooded. At the same time, dolphins are much closer to humans than we might think. Did you know that they feed their babies milk? At the same time, they don’t rush the game at all. Instead of scales, they have coda, which is quite soft and delicate to the touch. Dolphins are even distinguished from fish by their other fins. Instead of bones, the fins have something similar to phalanges of fingers.
Brain
The brain of an adult weighs about 1.7 kilograms. In humans - 1400 grams. Naturally, size itself does not mean anything; the structure is important. So, a magnetic resonance imaging scanner showed that dolphins have a total number of convolutions and nerve cells that exceeds the number of human ones. This leads to the conclusion that we simply live in different environments. In reality, it can be assumed that dolphins are also intelligent creatures. And the repeated rescues of people from the water are proof of this. Actually, they also have a language of communication.
Communication
It has long been no secret that dolphins are able to communicate through specific sound signals. Evidence indicates that animals produce different signals in frequency, which remind us of whistling and clicking. According to the latest scientific data, dolphins are capable of emitting about 14 thousand different signals. This is approximately one person's vocabulary. Moreover, all dolphins have their own names to which they respond. Amazing, isn't it?
Here's another interesting fact for you. Dolphins rarely live alone. Their flocks also suggest a complex structure from a sociological point of view. Each individual in their flock has a certain place, that is, significance. All warm-blooded “fish” are distinguished by inquisitive behavior. Unlike wild animals, dolphins do not avoid meeting people. On the contrary, they like to play, especially with people's children. In the entire history of mankind, there has not been a single case of a dolphin attacking a person. Unfortunately, there is no such favor on our part. People often enslave dolphins. And it's terrible!
The mystery of the speed of dolphins
The famous British zoologist Sir James Gray in 1936 drew attention to the speed of movement of dolphins. The figure turned out to be astounding - 37 kilometers per hour. After a series of studies, it became clear that according to the laws of hydrodynamics, a dolphin cannot achieve such a speed, but the fact remains a fact. His work went down in history as the “Grey's Paradox”. To this day, people cannot explain how dolphins achieve such speed. Every year, scientists present new theories and assumptions, but so far no one has gotten to the truth.
Regeneration ability
One of the most interesting facts about dolphins is their ability to regenerate. Moreover, the healing ability of these animals is better than that of humans. Even if seriously injured, dolphins are able to regenerate. However, they do not die from blood poisoning. Instead, they go to the bottom, where there are no microbes. In case of injury, for example, from shark teeth, they recover in just a couple of weeks. It's funny that there are no traces left at the wound site. This information suggests that the nervous system of dolphins is more developed than that of humans.
Official recognition
Another fun fact about dolphins. They have received public recognition in many countries. In particular, in India they excluded animals from the list. That is, dolphins were given the status of personality. That is, India is the first state in which there are two types of individuals: people and dolphins. This suggests that dolphin self-awareness does exist. The Ministry of Environment is promoting this status worldwide. People must respect the special rights of animals, because they have intelligence. The number of lives saved is proof of this.
It is worth adding that these animals are famous for their playful behavior. He will use the term “animals”, since they have not received the status of individuals everywhere. It should be said that dolphins are even capable of blowing ring-shaped bubbles underwater for entertainment. Thus, they entertain many sailors. Many of them try to establish communication with people through bubbles. Apparently, the dolphins came to the conclusion before us that it was necessary to find a common language. Unfortunately, not all people correctly understand their signals, citing the underdevelopment of the species. But in reality it turns out the other way around.
Beautiful bottlenose dolphins are the most common type of this mammal. They belong to cetaceans, and therefore dolphins can be safely called small whales or large bottlenose dolphins. Within the species, they are also divided into subspecies: in addition to the large one, there is the Australian and Indian bottlenose dolphin.
Description of appearance and features
The bottlenose dolphin is a toothed whale, and this is due to the presence of 100-200 small teeth in its mouth. Dolphins use them to capture mollusks, small fish and crustaceans. The shape of all teeth is identical - they are conical. The specific appearance of the muzzle and skull has become the hallmark of bottlenose dolphins:
- the head is small, but the skull contains a brain weighing up to 1.7 kg, which is 300 g more than that of a person;
- It is noteworthy that the convolutions in the dolphin’s head are located 2 times denser;
- the muzzle of mammals is elongated, with a rounded nose, the forehead hangs over the muzzle;
- There are slits for breathing at the top of the head.
The body of a dolphin reaches 3.5 m in length, the smallest adult representatives of bottlenose dolphins have a length of 2 m. Females are usually 15-20 cm shorter. An adult bottlenose dolphin weighs 300 kg.
The dolphin is a flexible and mobile animal due to the presence of 7 cervical vertebrae, 5 of which are fused. The bottlenose dolphin does not have intricate skin tones. Typically, the belly of the carcasses is white or beige, and the upper part is dark gray or brown.
The fins of the bottlenose dolphin are located on the back, tail and chest. In aquatic mammals, they are responsible for protection against overheating and extreme cooling. If the integrity of several fins is damaged, the dolphin may die. Fins are also used for defense and attack.
One of the most fascinating things about bottlenose dolphins is the sounds they make when communicating. The signals are remotely comparable to human speech. Scientists who study the language of dolphins highlight the features of speech: there are syllables and phrases, paragraphs, context, and dialects.
Bottlenose Dolphin Lifestyle
Bottlenose dolphins live in many parts of the planet, prefer warm waters, but are found in the Norwegian, Red Sea, near Greenland, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea, near Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.
Dolphins have a sedentary lifestyle, but they can wander in search of food. Schools of dolphins are divided into small groups according to age. Each group has functions. However, mammals tend to be solitary for unknown reasons. Sometimes individuals leave the flock for a while and then return. In captivity, the dolphin hierarchy becomes stricter. The leaders are the older males of large size.
There are 7,000 individuals of the Black Sea mammal living in the Black Sea. However, their numbers are constantly decreasing due to gas and oil production, shipping, and poachers.
Lifespan and reproduction
Bottlenose dolphins begin to breed in spring and summer. Females reach the age of 5 years, and males - 8. Dolphins are polygamous animals; they can interbreed with other species of cetaceans. During the mating season, which lasts from 3 days to 3-4 weeks, dolphins swim in a special position, often rub their heads against each other and make mating sounds. Pregnancy lasts 11-12 months, and when the baby appears, the flock rejoices and welcomes it. The newborn and its mother are accompanied by other females to their first breath on the surface.
For 18 months, a young bottlenose dolphin feeds on its mother's milk. By the way, the product’s fat content is noticeably higher than cow’s. 4 months after birth, the baby tries another food for the first time. Dolphins live on average up to 40 years, and also suffer from some human diseases (strokes, heart attacks).
Character of bottlenose dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins are as trainable as dogs, demonstrate incredible tricks and are friendly to humans in captivity. Even in their natural environment, they show interest in people and often make contact. Bottlenose dolphins are characterized by a strong attachment to humans. If you release a dolphin that has lived in a dolphinarium for a long time into the wild, it will not swim far from this place. The trainability of bottlenose dolphins has made them in demand in the navy. The military uses them as aquatic “dogs”: video surveillance and photography, delivery of explosives.
Bottlenose dolphins are easy to train Since 1966, the catch of bottlenose dolphins in Black Sea prohibited on Russian territory. The Black Sea bottlenose dolphin is in the International Red Book. But every year, dozens of dolphins die in poachers' nets, while others die due to approaching tankers and other industrial ships.
The sea and marine animals are endowed with enormous attractive power. From time immemorial, the water and ocean elements have been both a source of benefit and a carrier of threats for humans. And if only a few people can find something attractive in fish and algae, then few people will remain indifferent to dolphins.
Do dolphins provide interesting facts for children? Undoubtedly. And first of all, this is a fairly high level of their intellectual development compared to the vast majority of other living beings.
Biologists have found out that dolphins have a rather complex system of signals (not a “language,” as copper-headed adherents of mysticism persistently call it, but still this system is more complex than that of ordinary fish). This is not surprising, because mammals are evolutionarily more advanced. The study of dolphin abilities is insufficient: experiments give sharply contradictory results.
What should you know about dolphins?
First of all, these are not fish, but aquatic animals (beasts). Moreover, aquatic animals swim extremely fast. The dolphin can easily compete with many types of ships. The popular belief is that they jump out of the water to have fun or express joy. This is a mistake. In fact, dolphins need jumping to increase their speed for a short time when hunting for fish (since the air is a less dense medium).
The seas of our planet are home to at least seventy species of “brilliant beaked whales.” They all have smooth skin, which allows them to move quickly in the water and with a minimum of effort.
Dolphins present interesting facts for children and others. For example, differences between species are not only in mass and color, but also in the shape of the nose. All dolphins live only in warm seas. At the same time, there is an opinion that they are inclined to protect people from danger. Eleven years ago, four New Zealand rescuers were protected from a white shark by a school of bottlenose dolphins for forty minutes.
It is interesting that dolphins always hunt in schools and are incapable of surviving alone. Moreover, the group of dolphins numbers approximately one hundred individuals. If one of them gets sick and cannot surface, the others push her up into the air.
A separate topic is the so-called Gray paradox. Before the Second World War, James Gray found that the speed of dolphins reaches thirty-seven kilometers per hour. It is impossible to achieve it with muscular strength alone. And only by the seventies in the USSR it was possible to clarify the biological mechanism that helps to do this.
It is often said about dolphins that they are the smartest, kindest and most sympathetic creatures, as opposed to . Dolphins have saved people more than once, showing dexterity and intelligence. By and large, despite the huge number interesting facts about dolphins, we know very little about them. One thing is certain, dolphins are intelligent. Perhaps they are the most intelligent creatures on the planet. To communicate, they use a language consisting of 14 thousand signals. Dolphins have larger brains than humans and are more complex.
People have noticed that the dolphin can be useful to humanity. They are already used for treatment and solving civil and military problems. Let us hope that they will not find themselves in the role of passive slaves, like horses, in the service of human interests.
There is a great film made about dolphins, I recommend watching it:
Dolphin therapy is used to treat ailments that cannot be treated with medication and physical therapy. Children with diseases of the nervous system, neurological and psychological disorders feel better after interacting with dolphins.
The ultrasound emitted by dolphins acts similar to sonopheresis. Unlike procedures where laboratory installations are used, the ultrasound produced by dolphins is “live” and works better. Do not confuse simple communication with dolphins and therapy. To carry out treatment using dolphins, an individual program is required, regular swimming together, in the presence of a doctor-instructor. Rehabilitation of adults using dolphin therapy is also possible. Centers where treatment sessions are conducted exist at dolphinariums. In Crimea there is an International Dolphin Therapy Center and a balneology and rehabilitation center. Being in a familiar atmosphere, in sea water, dolphins give patients their kindness, helping them adapt to life. Truly interesting creations, by the way, I advise you to read it as well
The first experiments in training dolphins to perform military tasks were undertaken at the beginning of the 20th century. Dolphins have been serving in the US Armed Forces for many years. The Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Iraqi combat operations - everywhere there was work for these cute mammals. Currently, India, China, and Japan are showing interest in dolphins as a means of performing military tasks.
During the Soviet years, the USSR base for training dolphins was located in Sevastopol. Interesting fact - dolphins turned out to be completely unsuitable for attacking the enemy and for the role of kamikaze. They refused to carry out actions that directly threatened their death or injured people. But they successfully discovered mines covered with silt and sand. This task was beyond the capabilities of even experienced divers. When searching, dolphins do not use vision, but echolocation, which allows them to detect objects invisible to the eye. Having found the desired object, the dolphins dropped the buoy, marking the location of the find. The divers could only search well in the indicated place.
While in cages, the dolphins, having discovered a stranger in the water area, gave signals and indicated the direction where to look. When in the water, the results of dolphin detection of a diver reach 100%. Prepared individuals can detect the enemy, detain him, remove his mask and lift him to the surface.
Of course, the dolphins' capabilities are not limited to helping the military. They can provide invaluable assistance when conducting underwater research. Already, these smart mammals are taking photographs, helping researchers find sunken ships and archaeological sites. It is planned to use dolphins to monitor gas pipelines laid under water.
Many dolphins are also found in the Maldives. In these beautiful places at dawn you can often see whole flocks of these beautiful mammals. By the way, I wonder how much a trip to the Maldives costs?