Dolphins

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Dolphins

Eco tourism has been active advocates of the protection of dolphins worldwide . Highly believed as intelligent mammals , studies have been conducted to further man 's understanding of dolphins as member of the cetaceans family . Neuroanatomists of the century believed that intelligence had very close relationship to brain size . The problems in defining "intelligence " in such a way that valid comparisons can be made across a wide of range of species have yet to be overcome , although

br this has not deterred a great deal of research into the subject (Klinowska , 1994 ) But the field and its researches are still developing and remain vague . However , what remains apparent and factual is how the human species seems to connect with the dolphins

Bottlenose dolphins are the most studied species . They measure an average of 2 .5 to 2 .7m . They also weigh an average of 190 and 260 kg Habitat variations evolve into differences in body size and skull dimensions . Smaller body size is evident in coastal ecotypes while large body sizes are found in offshore ecotypes . Bottlenose dolphins found in the Pacific measure 12 ft . and weight about 1 ,000 lbs while those found in the Medittarean grows longer than 12 ft . Males grow longer than females and become heavier , considerably . Like humans , the females are observed to grow at faster rate during their juvenile ages as compared to male dolphins Figure 1 . Dolphin body parts . Source : Seaworld 2002

The dolphins are known to have sleek , streamlined body shapes . These body form easily adapt to water habitats . Basic to dolphins ' body form are the rostrum , eye , blowhole , dorsal fin , pectoral flipper and tail fluke as illustrated below Figure 2 . Dolphin internal body parts . Source www .crystalinks .com

Dolphins are mammals . They breathe air , are warm blooded , give live birth to babies and nurse their young . As seen in the illustration above , these mammals breathe . The warm blooded creatures also give live birth to offsprings and nurse their young like humans

By 5 to 12 years , females become sexually mature while at 9 to 13 years males are able begin reproducing . Springtime is the usual mating season Gestation follows to 11 till 12 months . Each female gives birth to a single calf , tail first . Minutes after birth , calves immediately swim and breathe . Females nurse their babies up to 18 months . During these months mother and calf remain close for protection and for getting the aerodynamic effect of the mother 's swimming to the calf

Dolphins are aquatic fast swimming mammals . 57 species are recorded The largest Dolphin is known as the Killer Whale named Orca . The Orca is most fearsome predator . It fears no sharks . Not even other Orcas . It doesn 't even fear going out of the water by the beach for a little while enough to snap at helpless baby sea lions for its meal

The belly of the dolphins appear pinkish or faded white but...