All about Dolphins, and my Video of the Dolphin Show at Safari World.

I got to see and be with dolphins just twice.  The first time was years ago at the Miyajima Public Aquarium, Hiroshima, Japan, and at the Dolphin Show in Miyajima. And very recently I have come across several amazing Dolphins at the Safari World Dolphin Show in Bangkok, Thailand. These encounters and the video I have recorded of the Dolphin Show at the Safari world have prompted me to post this article. First I shall present my Video on this amazing Dolphin Show and then narrate the information I have gathered about dolphins.

VIDEO:

Dolphin is a common name of aquatic mammals within the infraorder Cetacea. The term dolphin usually refers to the extant families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), and Pontoporiidae (the brackish dolphins), and the extinct Lipotidae (baiji or Chinese river dolphin). There are 40 extant species named as dolphins.

The name is originally from the Greek word delphís for dolphin, which was related to the Greek word “delphus” meaning "womb". The dolphins' name can, therefore, be interpreted as meaning "a 'fish' with a womb".

Dolphins range in size from the 1.7 m (5.6 ft) long and 50 kg (110 lb) Maui's dolphin to the 9.5 m (31 ft) and 10 tons killer whale. Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that the males are larger than females. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not quite as flexible as seals, some dolphins can travel at 55.5 km/h (34.5 mph). Dolphins use their conical shaped teeth to capture fast-moving prey. They have well-developed hearing which is adapted for both air and water and is so well developed that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. Dolphins feed chiefly on fish and squid, which they track using echolocation - a built-in sonar that bounces sound waves off prey and reveals information like its location, size, and shape. An echo-locating bottlenose dolphin can make up to a thousand clicking noises per second. They have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep warm in the cold water.

Although dolphins are widespread, most species prefer the warmer waters of the tropic zones, but some, like the right whale dolphin, prefer colder climates. Dolphins feed largely on fish and squid, but a few, like the killer whale, feed on large mammals, like seals. Male dolphins typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer months and females bear all the responsibility for raising them. As mammals, they have warm blood and nurse their young. Dolphins have more than one mate, and generally produce a single offspring that will stay with the mother for up to six years, depending on the species.

Dolphins are sometimes hunted in places such as Japan, in an activity known as dolphin drive hunting. Besides drive hunting, they also face threats from bycatch, habitat loss, and marine pollution. Dolphins have been depicted in various cultures worldwide. Dolphins occasionally feature in literature and film, as in the film series Free Willy. Dolphins are sometimes kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks. The most common dolphin species in captivity is the bottlenose dolphin, while there are around 60 captive killer whales.

Dolphins are graceful, sleek swimmers. They are also playful and often frolic in a boat’s wake, leaping out of the water—possibly for fun, to communicate, or even shed pesky parasites.

A group of dolphins are called a "school" or a "pod". Male dolphins are called "bulls", females "cows" and young dolphins are called "calves".

Living in pods that can number a dozen or more, dolphins are intensely social mammals that communicate with squeaks, whistles, and clicks as I mentioned earlier. Whether dolphins have language, as humans do, is a topic that scientists have debated for decades.