Incredible Dolphins

By: Claire

Table of Contents APlaceofLife…………………………………………………………….……………………...1-3ABottleNose……………………………………………………………………………….…...4-5What’sABoto?......................................................................................6-7ADolphin’sCousin……………………………………………………….……….…………..8-9Cetologists………………………………………………………………………………….….10-11Conclusion…………………………………………..…………………………..…………...12-13Glossary………………………………………………………………….…………………..…14-15

A Place of Life

Manydolphinsliveinsaltywatersandlargeoceans.TheymainlyliveincoastalwatersnearlargeopenplaceslikeCornwall,England.

Threekindsofdolphinsswiminthefreshwaterrivers,theAmazonRiverDolphin,theBaijidolphin,andtheSouthAsianRiverDolphin.Riverdolphinsaresmallerthanoceandolphinsbutthefreshwaterriver

dolphin’snoseisthreecentimeterslonger.

Dolphinscansmellandhearfood30milesaway.

Abottlenosedolphinandherbabyfindingfood.

Muddywaterishardtoseein,sodolphinsdependonecholocationtofindtheirway.Echolocationissoundwavesbouncingoffrocks,cavewalls,andotherobjectsthatdolphinscanheartohelpthemnavigate.

Motherdolphinandbabieslookingforahome.

Riverdolphinshavethreeorfourpredators,oneofthemisananaconda.Becauseriverdolphinsaresmallerthanoceandolphins,predatorscancatchthemmoreeasily.Dolphinsareamazingcreaturesinaplaceoflife!

RiverDolphinsswimming.

A Bottle Nose

Doyouknowwhyabottlenosedolphiniscalledabottlenosedolphin?Abottlenose

dolphiniscalledabottlenosedolphinbecausethetipofitsnoselookslikethetipofabottle.

Thebottlenosedolphinisthebest-knowndolphinspeciesintheworld.Thisisbecausemostdolphinsinaquariumsarebottlenosedolphins.Bottlenosesmeasureupto13feetlong,andweighasmuchas600pounds!Theylivein

tropicalwaters.Bottlenosedolphinsstaywithin100

Dolphinsliketoswimwhereitisshallow.

Dolphinonshore.

milesoflandinharbors,baysorlagoons.Somebottlenosedolphinshavebeenlivingthroughouttheirwholelivesinthesamelocation,otherssometimesmigratetootherpartsoftheocean.

ABottlenosedolphin

What’s A Boto?

ABotoisanothernamefortheAmazonRiverDolphin.ItlivesinSouthAmerica,intheAmazonRainforest.TheyalsoliveintheOrinocoRiver.

WhenababyBoto

isbornitusuallycomesoutawhitecolor.Butwhenitgrowsolderitturnsapinkishcolor.

DidyouknowthatanAmazonRiverDolphin’sbeakcanchangecolors?Itonly

Boto’shavelotsoflittlegraydotsontheirbody.

MotherBotoandbabyswimming.

changespinkandpurple.Scientistsbelievethatecholocationmakestheirbeakschangecolors.Inthedaytimetheirbeaksarepink,andinthenighttheyarepurple.

Botojumpingoutofwater.

A Dolphin’s Cousin

APorpoiseisreallysimilartoadolphin.That’swhysomepeoplecallitthedolphin’scousin.

Whatisdifferentaboutaporpoiseandadolphinisthatit

lookslikeawhale.Porpoisesalsohaveshorterbeaksandspade-shapedteeth,whiledolphinshavelongerbeaksandconeshaped.However,Dolphinsareknowntobemoretalkativethanporpoises.

Aharborporpoiselookslikeawhale.

Drawingofaharborporpoise.

DolphinsandPorpoisesaresimilarbecausetheylookalmostthesameandbothareconsideredtobeverysmart.Theybothhavelargebrainsthathelpthemcommunicateandnavigate.

APorpoiseandaDolphin.

CetologistsACetologistisascientistwhostudiesdolphinsandwhales.

Thisisaspecialkindofmarinebiologist.

Cetologistshelpdolphinsthataresickandneedhelp.Onetimeadolphin’stailgotbittenoffbya

sharkandcouldn’t

swim.TheCetologistshadtoworkandthink.Theyfinallycameup

Thereareonly195cetologistsintheworldnow.

ACetologisthelpingadolphinwithitsnewtail.

Adolphinpracticingtoswimwithitsnewtail.

withasolution.Theyusedsomematerialstohelpthedolphinfeelmoreathome.Theyusespecialpaperandothermaterialstomakeatailthatlooksandfeelslikearealdolphin’stail. Cetologistsaredoingimportantworktolearnmoreaboutdolphinsandtokeepthemsafe.

Adolphinswimmingwithanewtail.

Conclusion

Asyoucanseedolphinsareincrediblecreatures.Theylivein

beautifulplaces,therearemanydifferentkinds,andsomethattheirbeaksevenchangecolors!Therearemanysecretsaboutdolphinsthatnoonehasdiscoveredyet.Hopefullywecanallhelpkeepdolphinssafe,sothatwecancontinuetolearnmoreaboutthem.

Glossary

Anaconda-alargeSouthAmericansnakefoundonlandandwaterAquarium-abuildingwherefishandotheraquaticanimalsarekeptCetologists-thebranchofzoologydealingwithwhalesanddolphinsEcholocation-asonarlikesystemusebydolphins,batsandotheranimalsMigrate-topassusuallyperiodicallyfromoneregionorclimatetoanotherforfeedingorbreedingNavigate-totravelon,over,orthrough(anareaorplace)TropicalWaters-aplaceoflifeusuallyclosetotheequatorwherethewaterremainswarmPredators-ananimalthatnaturallypreysonothers.