Dolphins - Amazing Creatures Of The Ocean
By Joshua Plansden
Since dolphins swim in the water many people think that they must be fish. However, dolphins are in fact warm-blooded mammals that breathe air and give birth to baby dolphins rather than lay eggs. This fact alone makes dolphins unique creatures, but they also have many more characteristics that make them one of the most interesting animals on the planet.

If you're ever had the opportunity to be near a you'll understand why they are as unique as they are. Dolphins, just like whales, are considered to be cetaceans and are part of the grouping of whales that are called odontocetes, which means that they have teeth. The teeth found on a are shaped like cones. Other whales fall into the group called mysticetes, in which case they don't have teeth to use for feeding.

Most dolphins inhabit the tropical and pleasantly warm waters throughout the world. What most people don't realize is that there are other species living in rivers and non-salt water. There are so few of them left, that they are considered endangered.

Fifty-seven different species of make up the world's population today. Dolphins have sleek bodies and their noses, called "rostrum", are long and beak-like. Many of us think that dolphins and porpoises are related, when in fact they are not. One thing that makes them different is their teeth. As mentioned the dolphin's are cone shaped and the porpoise have teeth that look more like spades. This enables them to dig for food among rock. The other major difference is the fact that porpoise are able to live in water that's colder than a can even tolerate.

The Orca or the killer whale is one of the most common species of dolphins. When people think of the most dominating and ferocious creature in the sea, the Orca or the Killer whale comes to everyone's mind. They are also the most fearless amongst all sea animals.

The female Dolphins are very caring mothers. To give birth to a young calf, the female dolphins have a very long gestation period. The female dolphins stay pregnant for 12 months to deliver one young baby. The baby calves on birth are approximately 30 inches long and weigh around 30 - 40 pounds. During the first two years of the life of the calf, the mother takes a lot of care and nurses the young one.

Young dolphins tend to stay close to their mothers for around five to seven years, which is a very long time when compared to other animals. In other animal species, the siblings leave the mother very soon after birth and are on their own. The young dolphins while staying with their mothers learn the nuances on how to pull on with the other dolphins and also how and where to look for their food.

Dolphins live and move around in groups known as "pod". The males stay detached and do not take any interest in parenting. It is the females who rear the siblings and do all the nursing. The female does all the interaction with the calves and males do not involve themselves in community life other than impregnating the females.

The continues to be one of the most fascinating animals in the world. This has a large part to do with its intelligence and incredible curiosity. These animals love to interact with man whenever they can, chirping in their native tongue about events in the water that we'll never understand.

About the author: Joshua Plansden is the your host at A Dolphins Fan, a fantastic website to visit when you are searching for the latest knowledge, accurate up to date advice and commentary about dolphins. For more articles on dolphins why not visit: www.adolphinsfan.com/articles
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