Ten Interesting Facts About Dolphins
- Sebastian Font
- Jan 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 12
Dolphins are fascinating animals that are loved by almost everyone. They are delightful, playful, and always draw attention whenever they surface.
There are more than 40 different dolphin species worldwide, but the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin is the one that resides in Florida. Here are some quick facts about dolphins.
1-Dolphins Are Meat Eaters
Dolphins eat a wide variety of foods, including fish, squid, octopus, crustaceans, cephalopods, and other marine organisms.
Smaller dolphins generally concentrate on a diet of fish and other small prey. Larger dolphins, such as the killer whale (which may surprise you to know is actually a type of dolphin), consume larger animals, including sea lions, seabirds, sharks, and penguins.
During our dolphin tours, we occasionally encounter a young dolphin attempting to break into a crab trap. The young ones quickly learn that the traps are not worth the effort.
2-Dolphins Live as Long as Humans Do
Female dolphins have the longest lifespan, reaching up to 60 years. Males typically live to around 40 years. Certain other dolphin species may live even longer. The oldest known Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin lived to be 66 years old.
The oldest recorded age for a female dolphin to give birth was 48 years, and her name was Niklo. Female dolphins do not undergo menopause.
3-Dolphins Can Swim More Than 20mph
While dolphins typically glide along at 6 or 7 miles per hour during our tours, they have been seen swimming at speeds close to 25 mph. Their ability to do this comes from their exceptionally strong tail and fluke muscles. However, such high-speed movement requires a significant amount of energy and is generally only used in situations involving some form of distress.
4-Dolphins Can Communicate Effortlessly Over a Distance of a Mile
Since sound travels more efficiently through water than air, dolphins can communicate effortlessly over long distances. They produce sounds in the form of clicks, squeaks, and whistles, which they use to coordinate or call for help when in distress. Much like humans have names, each dolphin possesses a unique signature whistle or sound that identifies them to others.
5-Dolphins Lack Vocal Cords
Dolphins do not produce sounds from their mouths; instead, all sounds are emitted from their blowholes. During our dolphin tours, we can often tell that dolphins are swimming under our boats when we notice their distinctive circular "flat spots" on the water's surface, formed by air bubbles rising from their blowholes. We humorously refer to these as "footprints" when showing them to our passengers.
6-Dolphins Live In Social Groups Called Pods
Pod sizes differ, typically ranging from 10 to 15 dolphins. These groups are not always composed of blood relatives, but they are indeed multigenerational. Pods may consist of mother and calf pairs, juvenile dolphins, and adult male dolphins.
7-Dolphins Can Hold Their Breath Significantly Longer Than Humans
Dolphins are capable of staying underwater for 6 to 7 minutes, with some species able to hold their breath for even longer periods. They achieve this by slowing their heart rate and blood flow to conserve oxygen, which is beneficial for deep dives.
In reality, during our dolphin tours, we typically observe dolphins surfacing every 20 to 30 seconds. Dolphins tend to remain in shallower waters, where hunting is easier and long, deep dives aren't required.
8-Dolphins Sleep With Only One Half Of Their Brain Active.
Dolphins and whales have a distinctive way of sleeping called “unihemispheric slow-wave sleep.” This means they rest one half of their brain at a time. When a dolphin sleeps, it shuts down one hemisphere of its brain and closes the eye on the opposite side. This allows the dolphin to remain aware of its environment and manage its breathing.
Similarly, humans sleep in a related manner. Part of our brain stays alert, waking us if our face is pressed into the pillow to ensure we can breathe, if our bladder needs attention, or if the alarm goes off indicating it's time for school or work.
9-Size Comparisons of Dolphins
Male bottlenose dolphins are typically larger than females, often reaching around 10 feet in length and weighing approximately 1000 pounds. In contrast, females are generally about half that size, weighing up to 600 pounds. During our tours, we identify males when we observe full-sized dolphins measuring 7 or 8 feet. Otherwise, determining gender is nearly impossible.
Calves vary significantly in size, with newborns ranging from 2 to 4 feet long and weighing between 20 and 40 pounds. On our dolphin cruises, we identify newborns by their swimming behavior. A newborn appears somewhat awkward when surfacing for air and lacks the smooth, graceful swimming of adults.
10-Dolphins Possess Excellent Social Abilities and Form Strong Connections
Dolphins typically have one calf, which stays with them for the first 3 to 4 years of its life. Such enduring family ties are rare among animal species. Elephants are among the few animals that remain with their offspring longer, living with their families until at least nine years old.
Dolphins display highly social and cooperative behavior. If a dolphin is injured, others will work together to help it reach the surface every thirty minutes to breathe. Adult females assist each other during the birthing of calves. Dolphins are also known to help other animals and even humans in times of need.
We have observed dolphins interacting with dogs on docks as they look down at the water. People on our dolphin tours often wonder if the dolphins are
inviting the dogs to join them for a swim.
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