Dolphins 
By Nadine Karime & Mohamad Alameddine
"Dolphins have a universal appeal, symbolizing freedom, joy, grace and serenity , uplifting the spirits of many people all around the world"
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" All animals except man know that the ultimate of life is to enjoy it" Quote by Samuel Butler 1912.
"Until he extends his circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace". Quote by Albert Schweitzer.
Dolphins
"Dolphins have a universal appeal, symbolizing freedom, joy, grace and serenity , uplifting the spirits of many people all around the world"
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The sleek dolphin body is well adapted for life in the sea.
Dolphins use their powerful tail flukes in an up and down motion when moving through the water, and especially when hunting fish. A dolphin can use its tail as a warning to other dolphins, or as a sign of annoyance.
Dolphins have strong tail muscles, too.
Pectoral flippers are used to steer through the water and to stroke one another, creating a social bond between them.
Some dolphin "friends" may swim along facing each
other, touching flippers. Dolphin behavior such as swimming in synchrony,
twisting, and turning together show that they have a close social bond.
Dolphin teeth are interlocking rows of conical pegs. They eat their fish whole, head first. Behaviors we associate with friendliness, such as a dolphin’s open mouth and nodding its head, are signs of aggression in the wild. Even greater aggression is exhibited by violent jaw clapping.
Dolphins breathe air through their blowhole located
on the upper part of their body. Air can leave the blowhole at speeds of
over 100mph, similar to a person sneezing. Complex nerve endings around
the blowhole sense pressure changes to alert the dolphin that he is near
surface air. Water in a dolphin's blowhole can drown it. Powerful muscles
control the opening and closing of the blowhole as the dolphin dives.
The dolphin's eyesight is so accurate, it can jump up and take an object out of a trainer’s teeth in a show. The eyes are protected by a slippery secretion. Dolphins take short cat-naps while sleeping, floating just below the surface, then slowly rising to breathe. Breathing is a voluntary action.
The dolphin's skin is completely smooth and streamlined,
allowing it to move at high speeds through the water. A dolphin’s skin
may become badly sunburnt if they strand. When a dolphin needs to be transported
in rescue, an attendant deeps its skin damp, so that it will not die of
heat stroke. Dolphin's ears are barely noticeable marked only by a small
hole just behind the eye.
Dolphins are expert jumpers. They leap and somersault as well. These behaviors, with its splashing, are used to avoid predators, attract a mate, or herd fish. Bottlenose dolphins can dive to depths of over 1,640 ft (500m).
The
life of a dolphin
Dolphins carry their young inside their womb and gestation is about 12 months for a bottlenose. The baby emerges tail first, and will suckle from its mother for up to 4 years.The baby will however stay with its mother for between 3-6 years, during which time it learns all about feeding techniques, social interaction and group hunting. There is a definite hierarchy within the group. The leader of the group may be either male or female. Dolphins have territories, in which they roam and feed. Many cases have been documented of dolphins helping one another to survive.
Dolphins have three main predators large enough to kill them: the shark, the killer whale, man. They are killed as food, in accidental netting, from pollution, and fishing. Dolphins spend a large part of their day playing. Food is abundant, and they make no permanent home or burrow. A dolphin’s brain is larger than that of man. A great part of their brain is concerned with sending and receiving sounds. They use their echolocation to locate fish by sending out a stream of cricks and creaks. Dolphins communicate with each other by whistling, body language, and ultrasonic sounds. Low frequency sounds are used for objects far away, and high frequency sounds are used for objects that are nearer. A dolphin can find its way around and hunt for fish. They can easily distinguish between objects of different size. Some dolphins in captivity try to imitate the human voice. Different dolphin sounds are used to communicate different messages, such as a young dolphin whistling to its mother when it is lost, mating calls, and warnings to other dolphins.
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"If he dominates and commands others, it is through his virtue and not through strength of arms."
16th Century French biologist Pierre Belon, on the dolphin
"When a thing exists which you really abhor, I
wish you would remember a little whether in letting it strictly alone are
you minding your own business on principle, or simply because it is comfortable
to do so". Quote by John Galsworthy.
"It is the dolphin's birthright to swim in a straight line in the ocean as far as it's heart desires". Quote by Ric O'Barry.
Nowadays, in Australia and several other countries it is now illegal to catch dolphins for captivity. Coastal marine reserves are the wave of the future, where dolphins can be observed naturally in the wild. Future generations need to protect the dolphins. People cannot think of their entertainment at the expense of nature.
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Reference-Highly recommended
"Dolphins and their power to heal" by Amanda Cochrane and Karena Callen
Images & text Copyright
Sally Kirby 1997. Last updated 20.9.97.