About how many dolphins live, and other interesting facts about these animals

Do you know who are the dolphins? These are not fish, as many think, these are mammals. Studying these animals, scientists have discovered many amazing and even fantastic facts. The article will tell about them and tell you what they eat, how they communicate and how many dolphins live.

Let's get to know each other

Dolphins - mammals, whose native elements are the World Ocean - belong to the order of cetaceans. In total, scientists counted 50 species of these animals.

The range of their distribution covers the entire Earth, with the exception of the Arctic and subarctic belt. Basically, they inhabit the seas and oceans, but there are also freshwater dolphins - a rare species of La Plata, Amazon, Chinese river.

Further we will get acquainted with the description, the peculiarities of the structure of this amazing animal, we learn how and how many dolphins live.

Appearance, habits

The body of aquatic animals has a streamlined shape, muscular and completely naked, with smooth skin. On the small head there is a hole - the breather. The snout is elongated, small eyes are seen poorly, the sense of smell is absent, the average speed of movement is rather low - 5-12 km / h. Because of small teeth and lack of chewing muscles, they do not know how to chew and swallow small fish - sardines, anchovies - entirely.

Many inhabitants of the sea depths seem much better adapted to a complex habitat, but this does not affect how much dolphins live in a natural environment. These animals, of course, have enemies - sharks, skates, but they know how to protect themselves well. With dispersal and with very great force they beat their strong nose of the enemy, and they are tagged into weak places - gills or stomach. Since dolphins are social animals and always live together for 10-15 individuals, all together they are very effective in fighting off enemies. In addition, dolphins are endowed by nature with exceptional echolocation. With the help of sound vibrations, they accurately determine the structure of the object, its dimensions, material, distance to it. Therefore, studying the question of how many dolphins live, scientists have found out that the average life expectancy at will is 50-90 years.

What affects life expectancy

Observations helped to find out what the main factors affect the life span of dolphins:

1. Food. In the natural environment, these animals feed mainly on fish, squid, mollusks and crustaceans. Although scientists already know for sure that they eat dolphins, but in conditions of bondage, even with a strict diet, they suffer from obesity, which is due to the limited enclosure of the living space.
2. Social environment. It is known that in nature dolphins live by one family, and when they are excommunicated from relatives, they are very sad.
3. Habitat. These mammals love space, and a closed environment in captivity greatly shortens their life.
4. Health. Scientists have found that they suffer from "human" diseases - pneumonia, cardiac and oncological diseases.

As a conclusion, in nature these animals live much longer than in aquariums or swimming pools. How many dolphins live in captivity? Not more than 10-15 years. Hence, their main enemy is a man.

How many years live dolphins, also largely depends on their species. The longest live killer whales, minke whales and bottlenose dolines - an average of 40-60 years. Irrawaddy species lives up to 30 years. The smallest live river dolphins - 15-20 years.

5 interesting facts

1. They can talk. This has already been proved. These mammals distinguish between underwater inhabitants and everyone is called in their own way.
2. The sensation was the discovery of the fact that at birth every dolphin in the pack is given a name.
3. Dolphins and man are the only mammals in the world who have sex not only for procreation, but also for pleasure.
4. Dolphins recognize their reflection in the mirror.
5. In a delphinic environment, there is matriarchy.