Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Fact file

Species: Cetacean
Latin name: Tursiops

Meaning:  A genus of Delphinidae

Diet: Carnivorous

Habitats: Across the world

Habitat

Bottlenose dolphins live in a variety of habitats, including in temperate and tropical waters worldwide.  Distribution is generally limited to surface water temperatures of 10° to 32°C.

Diet

Dolphins are active predators and eat a wide variety of fishes, squids, and crustaceans such as shrimps.  Dolphins use echolocation to navigate and hunt. Dolphin teeth are designed for grasping (not chewing) food. Bottlenose dolphins have 18 to 26 teeth on each side of the upper and lower jaws, a total of 72 to 104 teeth. A tooth's diameter measures about 1 cm.Dolphin teeth are not replaced when lost.

Appearance

In general, bottlenose dolphins are 2 to 3.9 m . Their average weight is 150 to 200 kg.On average, full-grown males are slightly longer than females, and considerably heavier.The bottlenose dolphin's streamlined body, together with its flippers, flukes,and dorsal fin, adapt this mammal for life in an aquatic environment. A dolphin's skin is smooth and feels rubbery, it has no hair.The dolphin's dorsal fin contains no bone, cartilage, or muscle.

Babies

Female dolphins are called cows, males are called bulls and young dolphins are called calves.  Mating season is throughout the year.  Gestation takes 9-17 months depending on the species.  When it is time to give birth, the female will distance herself from the pod, often going near the surface of the water.  There is usually one calf; twins are rare.  As soon as the calf is born, the mother must quickly take it to the surface so it can take its first breath.  The calf will nurse from 11 months to 2 years, and stay with its mother until it is between 3 and 8 years old. Calves are about 100 to 135 cm and weigh 10 to 20 kg.  Calves are darker than adults and have several vertical lines on their sides, a result of fetal folding.

Abilities

Dolphins use a blowhole on top of their heads to breathe.  Dolphins have excellent eyesight and hearing as well as the ability to use echolocation for finding the exact location of objects.  Dolphins communicate with each other by clicking, whistling and other sounds.

Fun Facts

Dolphins live in schools or pods of up to 12 individuals.  Dolphins often have playful attitude which makes them popular among humans.  They can be seen jumping, riding waves, play fighting and occasionally interacting with humans in the water.

Jokes

What did Cinderella Dolphin where to the ball?  Glass flippers! 
Does a dolphin ever do something by accident?  No, they do everything on porpoise!
Source: http://www.jokebuddha.com/Dolphin