The History of Dolphins

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Fins
The dorsal fin on the back is used for stability much like a keel on a boat. It is made of collagen, a fibrous connective tissue similar to the cartilage in your nose and ears. The pectoral fins are used for stopping and steering. An x-ray will reveal five digits and the same number of bones found in a human arm from the fingertips to the shoulder. This with the support of other evidence, indicates that these animals migrated back into the oceans about 53.5 million years ago. The tail flukes of a dolphin are very powerful and are also made of collagen. Using their tails dolphins propel themselves in the water up to 25 miles per hour.

Eyesight
Dolphins have several acute senses. Their eyesight is as good as a human’s, however dolphins have the ability to compensate for the refraction of the light waves as they pass through the surface of the eye underwater, allowing dolphins to see well both above and below the surface of the water.

Sonar

Dolphins do not have a sense of smell but do appear to have compensated with a highly developed sense of hearing. Above the water they are quite capable of hearing a wide range of frequencies. The pin hole opening located about two inches behind the eye is the external opening to the ear canal.

Below the surface, dolphins use a system known as echolocation or biosonar. They emit bursts of high frequency sounds from the forehead or melon which then bounce off objects and return to the dolphin in the form of echoes. Each echo is absorbed through the hollow lower jaw and transmitted via a fatty fluid to an acoustic window and then to the inner ear. When the dolphin processes the sounds, it can tell the size, shape, density, distance and speed of an object. Thus, they can not only locate an object, but also scan the object similar in function to an ultrasound.

Echolocation is very helpful tool for dolphins in the wild. It is used for navigation, finding food, avoiding predators and communication with other dolphins. Scientists believe that dolphins may also be able to produce a strong enough burst of sound to temporarily debilitate their prey, giving them the extra edge when hunting.

Social Groups

Dolphins and whales are gregarious animals and usually travel in social groups called pods. Larger groups of pods are referred to as a school. In deep waters offshore, animals may travel in large groups, even up to hundreds of individuals, and commonly travel in shallow water in small groups less than a dozen. Adult males are also commonly found in shallow waters swimming alone or with another adult male to which it has bonded. These "pair bonds" appear to be long term relationships for males which may last the rest of their lives.

Generally, dolphin pods can be grouped into three types: adult males, juvenile males and the last group being mothers, females and calves. Organized as a matriarchal society, females usually do not allow males within their social group unless it is mating season and only then will it be the dominant males. This ensures that the females will mate with the most "successful" males of the group, providing the potential offspring with the greatest chance for survival.

Dolphins communicate with each other in a variety of ways: body posturing, vocalizations and echolocation. There has always been a fascination regarding their ability to communicate with sound and today we continue to study these animals in an effort to understand of what dolphins are capable.

Interactive Dolphin Programs: A New Approach to Education
Dolphins by nature are curious creatures, commonly investigating people swimming in their environment - the ocean. Their amiability has stirred the fascination with which we view these animals.

Beginning in the early 1980’s, a few facilities around the world began to offer a new and different type of dolphin presentation commonly referred to as a "swim program."

Whether structured as a shallow-water encounter or an actual swim format, these interactive programs were designed to create a new kind of awareness, one that would come from a personal interaction with the animals in a safe and healthy environment.

At Dolphin Encounters, we fulfill the dreams of our guests in meeting these incredible animals and plant a new seed of conservation in each person, one that is taken home and nurtured in their local environment, ocean or otherwise.

Cetaceans In The Wild: A Shared Future

For cetaceans and all marine life to thrive in the oceans we must make a conscious effort to protect our oceans directly and indirectly. Recycling and disposing of trash, toxins or pollutants properly is a beginning.

Driftnets and indiscriminate fishing techniques can only be prevented by international public pressure. Public support was the main reason the "dolphin safe" tuna label was so successful in decreasing unnecessary deaths from 100,000 to less than 3,000 each season. You can make a difference by having a voice.

Finally, human curiosity must have its limits when it endangers the lives of the animals with whom we are so fascinated. By staying an observer in the wild, you will ensure the wild animals of today will be here for your children in the future. Enjoy the intimate experience you have had today and protect these incredible animals by staying an observer in the wild.

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