DolphinsBy, Victoria Elek

Dolphins are very intelligent animals. They are able to train with humans and can achieve many tricks. A few amazing abilities they have are their intelligence, their great memories, and the ability to dive great depths. Dolphins are friendly with humans and are able to hear commands. They also posses a high ability to learn, which is partially why they are so smart and can learn a lot. Throughout this power point, you will learn about why dolphins are so smart and a lot about them in general!

A Little Bit About Dolphins

Why are dolphins so smart?

Dolphins Are Very Intelligent Animals

Dolphins are very smart creatures, but why are they so

intelligent? Dolphins get their extreme intelligence from having

an unusually big brain. It is also very complex. Their brain

allows them the possibility to swim in all directions, the ability

to swim fast, and to hunt in groups. Dolphins can also

communicate with humans and can be trained.

Where Dolphins Live

• Dolphins live in oceans all over the world and even some rivers.

• There is a type of dolphin species that is adapted for every type of environment.

• The Bottlenose dolphin lives in every ocean on the planet except the Artic and Antarctic oceans.

• Bottlenose dolphins prefer warmer waters.

• The rare Pink dolphin lives in the Amazon river.

Pink Dolphins

The Life of a Dolphin

Dolphins live and hunt together in pods (groups) of about 2-15 dolphins. They are mammals who have the amazing ability to hold their breathes underwater for as long as seven minutes! They, like us, have to come up to the surface to breathe. Female dolphins care for their young until they are old enough to live without her care. Dolphins stay warm in the water because of a thick layer of fat under their skin called blubber.

A mother dolphin always cares for her baby.

Dolphin Diet

• Dolphins eat a variety of foods• Some eat fish, such as mackerel, herring, and cod• Some dolphins eat squid• On average, a 250 kg dolphin will eat between 10 kg and

22.5 kg of fish each day.

Dolphin Hunting Methods

• Herding: When a pod of dolphins circle around a school of fish, eating all they

can.

• Whacking: Dolphins bang their tails against the fish to stun them.

• Stunning: The Dolphin makes a “click” sound at the fish, which stuns the prey.

• Corralling: When Dolphins herd a school of fish into shallow water, making it hard

for them to escape.

• Foraging: When a Dolphin picks up a sea sponge and uses it to push through the

shallow parts of the ocean floor, looking for food.

Dolphin Mom and Baby

• After born, baby dolphins are nursed by their mothers.• They drink milk provided my their mothers.• Another calf usually helps the mother take care of her baby.• Baby dolphins are cared for by their mothers until they are six years old

and know the skills to surviving.

Dolphin Life Span

The average life span of a dolphin is 25 years. Dolphins can live up to forty years Dolphins do not live shorter in captivity, they can actually live

longer since they are provided with medical care. The oldest current living dolphin is 57 years old! Typically, female dolphins live longer than male dolphins Dolphins often die from being preyed on by killer whales and

sharks

Dolphins: Endangered Animals

Dolphins are endangered creatures. This is mainly because of us humans. Dolphins often are killed because of getting caught in fishing nets that are supposed to catch fish. Also, ocean pollution harms dolphins and kills their prey so they have nothing to eat. Climate change warms the ocean temperatures and because of this, prey populations are affected. This affects the ocean food chain and dolphins and other animals will not have enough food to eat. Overfishing also kills off the food that dolphins eat. Habitat loss also hurts dolphins. While humans build dams and use boats to travel, we are taking up the place where dolphins live and we are polluting it. All of these things are bad for the environment but the good news is, we can help! We can reduce the amount of pollution being put into the ocean and we can stop overfishing and only take the amount of fish we need. Take action and remember that dolphins are living creatures just like us and that we should start caring for them instead of putting them in harms way.

Dolphin Fun Facts

Dolphins are very intelligent. Killer Whales are actually dolphins. Dolphins breathe through a blowhole located on the top of their head. Dolphins are carnivores. Dolphins display a playful attitude and are often seen jumping out of the water, riding

waves, play fighting, and interacting with humans. Dolphins have excellent eyesight and hearing. Dolphins communicate by clicking and whistling.

I hope you enjoyed my power

point and learned a lot about

dolphins!