Splash Into Science: How Dolphin Play Predicts Future Success
A study indicates that the social play of juvenile male bottlenose dolphins predicts their future reproductive success. Fresh findings published today (June 10) in Proceedings…
Dolphins News
Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals known for their agility and playful behavior. They belong to the family Delphinidae and are part of the order of cetaceans, which also includes whales and porpoises. Dolphins are found worldwide, mostly in shallow seas of the continental shelves and are carnivores, primarily eating fish and squid. The most common and well-known species is the bottlenose dolphin. Characterized by their streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers, they can navigate through water with remarkable speed and agility. Dolphins are also famous for their advanced communication skills; they use a variety of clicks, whistle-like sounds, and other vocalizations to communicate and echolocate. Social creatures, dolphins often form pods of up to a dozen individuals, and there are cases of pods joining in larger groups. They are known to frequently engage in acts of cooperation, which can include hunting and protecting the sick or injured members of their pod.
16 Million Years Old: Giant Dolphin Discovered in the Amazon Rainforest
Measuring between 3 to 3.5 meters, 16 million years old: Paleontologists from the University of Zurich have announced the discovery of a new species of…
Scientists Discover New Sense of Bottlenose Dolphins: They Feel Electricity
Bottlenose dolphins might use their electric sense to navigate around the world. Born tail first, bottlenose dolphin calves are initially adorned with two delicate rows…
Shocking Revelation: Bottlenose Dolphins’ Electric Sense Uncovered
Bottlenose dolphins’ electric sense could help them navigate the globe. Born tail first, bottlenose dolphin calves emerge equipped with two slender rows of whiskers along…
Swimming With Ancient Giants: Earliest Ancestors of Today’s Dolphins Discovered
Paleontologists have discovered a new species of toothed whale, Olympicetus thalassodon, which lived 28 million years ago and offers insights into the evolution of modern…
Researchers Surprised by Unusually Fast Beaked Whale’s Deep-Sea Hunting Strategy
An international team of biologists has successfully used biologgers to reveal insights into the lifestyle and hunting behavior of the little-known species Sowerby’s beaked whale….
Researchers Discover Dolphin Females Have Working Clitoris – “Surprisingly Similar” to the Shape in Humans
A new study reveals that female dolphins have a functional clitoris similar to humans, indicating that their sexual activities may extend beyond reproduction to include…
Friendships and Rivalries: Cooperative Male Dolphins Can Tell Who’s on Their Team
When it comes to friendships and rivalries, male dolphins know who the good team players are. New findings, published in Nature Communications by University of Bristol researchers,…
Deadly Skin Disease – Affecting Dolphins Worldwide – Tied to Climate Change
In collaboration with Australian researchers, The Marine Mammal Center has found that the increasing frequency and severity of storm systems drastically decrease the salinity of…
Tracking Humanity’s Latest Plastics and Chemical Toxins in Stranded Whales and Dolphins
As humanity develops new types of plastics and chemicals, researchers are constantly trying to keep up with understanding how these contaminants affect the environment and…
Strategic Networking: Young Dolphins Pick Their Friends Wisely
Dolphins choose childhood friends that set them up for success as adults. Strategic networking is key to career success, and not just for humans. A…
Discovery of Giant 15′ Extinct Dolphin Shows Surprising Parallel Evolution With Whales
A report in the journal Current Biology on July 9 offers a detailed description of the first nearly complete skeleton of an extinct large dolphin, discovered…
Mirroring Humans, Antibiotic Resistance Surges in Dolphins [Video]
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest public health challenges in the world today since many common bacterial infections are developing resistance to the drugs…
Killer Whales Engage in Cross-Species Vocal Learning
A newly published study reveals that killer whales (Orcinus orca) can engage in cross-species vocal learning, revealing that they shifted the types of sounds they…
Dolphins Form “Life Raft” to Try to Save Dying Companion
For the first time caught on video, Korean-based scientists witnessed a group of dolphins trying to help another dying dolphin by forming a “life raft.”…
Relationships of Male Dolphins from Shark Bay Determined by Slow Swimming
In Shark Bay, Australia, the male dolphins are well known to marine biologists for their messy social entanglements. These relationships are so unique, that they’re…
BP Oil Spill Could be Responsible for the Death of Gulf Dolphins
According to new data from 2011 NOAA tests, bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico are underweight, anemic, have low blood sugar and/or some symptoms…
Bottlenose Dolphins Use Signature Whistles to Greet Others
Bottlenose dolphins can understand the meaning and order of words, which can be conveyed through human hand gestures. It appears that now humans are also…