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.