Ten Questions: Dolphins

Dolphins. We consider them to be some of the friendliest and most intelligent animals of all. They are some of our most favorite animals because of that reason. They are thought of with a similar fondness as the mystical unicorn. We have many questions about dolphins, and today we'll try to answer ten of them.

Let's get to the questions!

01. Are dolphins fish or mammals?
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. They breath oxygen. They have hair like other mammals. They give birth to live young. And they breast feed their babies. All of that makes them mammals.

02. Do dolphins have hair?
Yes, dolphins do have a tiny bit of hair! The only place there is hair is right next to the blowhole. Most of their hair falls out shortly after birth. So little hair on their bodies helps them to swim better and faster.

03. With not much hair, how do dolphins keep warm?
Instead of fur, dolphins have blubber, which is a layer of fat under the skin. Blubber gives a dolphin their streamlined shape. Blubber also is a cover that holds in heat, which helps keep them warm.

04. Does a dolphin have gills like other fish?
No, a dolphin is not a fish. We already covered this one. A dolphin is a mammal, so it breathes air the same way any other mammal would.

05. How long can a dolphin hold its breath?
A dolphin usually breathes once or twice a minute. A dolphin can hold its breath no longer than seven minutes but only if it is an emergency.

06. How long do dolphins live?
A dolphin’s average lifespan is probably 20 years or less, even though some dolphins can live as long as 48 years.

07. Why are dolphins thought of as being so intelligent?
Dolphins are thought of as being so intelligent because we believe they have very advanced communication skills. Some scientists think they have developed their own language. Communication and language is strong evidence for intelligence. A dolphin communicates through a series of clicks and whistles. Dolphins also have large brains in relation to the size of their bodies, which is thought of as another sign of their intelligence.

08. Why are dolphins thought of as so friendly?
Dolphins are considered to be very friendly to people and very curious about us. there have been reports of dolphins saving humans from drowning by either pushing them to shore or pushing them up for air. other reports say that dolphins have saved humans from hungry sharks.

09. What other animals are dolphins related to?
Dolphins are related to many other mammals in the ocean. There are 45 different types of dolphin alone. The killer whale is the biggest dolphin. The dolphin's closest relatives are whales and porpoises.

10. Are dolphins related to sharks?
No. Dolphins are mammals and sharks are fish. In fact, dolphins have a strong dislike for sharks, and will kill them when given the chance. Sharks will eat dolphins whenever they can. One of the reasons dolphins have long noses is to help them kill sharks.


How did you like this interesting bit of trivia? Obviously we can't answer all questions in just one article, but if we get enough feedback and a lot of comments we might just revisit this subject with another ten questions.