Dolphins

By Amy Montgomerie
 Table of Contents

What is a Dolphin?........................3
What is a Mammal?.......................4
Bottlenose Dolphins......................5
How do Dolphins Breath?.............7
What is Echolocation?...................8
Glossary..........................................9
Additional information................10
Resources......................................11
 3

What is a Dolphin?

Dolphins are one of the

most intelligent
mammals in the world.
They are well known for
their playfulness and
are easy to train, which
is why we frequently
see them in Zoos and
Aquariums. There are
about 40 dierent
species of dolphins and
they vary in size. The
color of Dolphins can
also vary by species
but they are typically a
gray color.

Depending on the species dolphins

have between 8 and 250 teeth!
 4

What is a Mammal?

Dolphins are one of

the many mammals
that live in the ocean.
Mammals are warm
blooded animals.
They also have lungs
and cannot breath
Mammals are also know for
under water. Other
producing milk to feed their
features that make
young. Female dolphins feed
dolphins mammals is
their calves for up to 3 year.
their spine and the
Calves stay near their mothers
hair they are born
majority of the time and stay
with.
with them until they are at
least 6 years old.
 5

Bottlenose Dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins can grow
The bottlenose dolphin is one of
anywhere from 6 to 12 feet long
the many species of dolphins and
and can weight up to 1,100lbs.
is the most recognizable of them
Even though they are very
all. They use many types of
heavy, they can swim up to
communication to send
25mph!
messages. They use body
language, they squeak and slap
their tails on the waters surface.
To hear the squeak of a dolphin
click here.

They can have 72-104 cone shaped

teeth! To compare an adult human
has 32 teeth.
 6

Bottlenose Dolphins

Bottlenose Dolphins have a

great sense of hearing! The
sound travels through their jaw,
to its inner ear and then sent to
the brain.

They eat sh, squid and

shrimp! Sometimes they work
in a group to catch their prey.

To read more about

To watch a video about bottlenose dolphins click
bottlenose Dolphins click HERE. here.
 7

How do Dolphins Breath? If you look at the picture

below you can see the
Dolphins blowhole on top of
his head. When a dolphin is
As mentioned before, all underwater the hole is closed
dolphins are mammals. This by very strong mussels to
means that they breath air make sure no water will get in
and have lungs just like we their lungs.
do. Dolphins breath through
a hole on their back called a
blowhole. Dolphins are able
to hold their breath for 8 to
10 minutes, but they typically
breath 4 or 5 times a minute!

Click here to see how a dolphins

blowhole works!
 8

What is Echolocation?

Echolocation is used by
many animals including
bats, whales and dolphins!
Dolphins use echolocation
by making a high pitched
clicks. When they make the
sound it goes outward, and
when there is something in
front of them the sound will
bounce back towards them.
This allows the Dolphins to
see what is near them in
the dark and catch prey.
Learn more about echolocation here.
 9

Glossary

Blowhole - one or two holes on top of a dolphin or whales head that allows
them to breath

Echolocation - the location of objects by reected sound

Calf / calves - baby dolphin or dolphins

Mammal - humans and all animals that are warm-blooded vertebrates with
hair.

Prey - an animal that is being hunted.

Species - group of living organisms that are similar.

 10

Additional Information

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bottlenose-dolphin/#bottlenose-dolphin-
jumping.jpg

https://youtu.be/VjMn_dVCJyA

https://youtu.be/RWSLn1dggoU

Playlist of dolphin videos

 11

Resources

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bottlenose-dolphin/#bottlenose-dolphin-
jumping.jpg

Dolphins and Whales

http://us.whales.org/faqs/facts-about-whales-and-dolphins/how-do-dolphins-breathe