Dolphin Information

Dolphin Sound

Dolphin Sound Underwater (51 seconds long)

The Bottlenose dolphin - Tursiops truncatus

Distinguishing characteristics

           Of all the small cetaceans, the bottlenose dolphin is probably the most familiar to the public
           due to it's history in captivity, visibility from shore and television shows like "Flipper." They grow
           to between 2.5 and 3.3 metres in length and weigh between 200 and 350 kg. Two similar forms
           of bottlenose dolphin occur off the coast of South Africa: an inshore (coastal) "eco-type" that is
           smaller and a deep sea (pelagic) eco-type that is quite a lot larger and more robust. The
           smaller bottlenose, which is most commonly seen, is dark grey in color to the midline, lighter
           around the head and on the belly area (which is sometimes pink in colour) and adults are often
           heavily scarred. Killer whales and sharks appear to be the bottlenose dolphin's only enemies.

      Teeth and food

           Bottlenose dolphins have between 18 and 26 pairs of teeth and a diverse diet. They eat fish,
           squid, eels, and occasionally crustaceans, and like orcas, they have regularly been observed
           feeding co-operatively. For example, they sometimes encircle a shoal of fish and different
           members of the group will take turns to feed while others keep the prey in position. In some
           areas they have adapted their feeding habits to take advantage of human activities: following
           trawlers and other fishing boats to feed on the unwanted fish that are thrown overboard, eating
           netted or hooked fish, fish stirred up by nets and propeller washes and fish attracted to idle
           vessels. These activities sometimes bring them into conflict with fishermen, as well as resulting
           in some mortality through entanglement in fishing gear. They have also been observed
           beaching themselves on mudflats to capture fish in a similar fashion to the killer whale.

      Where and when to find them

           The smaller form is found only off the east and south coasts of South Africa, more or less east
           of Cape Agulhas, and it lives in shallow water generally not deeper than 30 metres deep.
           Bottlenose dolphins are often found in groups of between 10 and 60 individuals and frequently
           surf and porpoise in and out of the breakers. They are best observed from coastal cliffs and
           headlands as they feed just behind the waves.

      Mothers and calves

           The gestation period of a bottlenose dolphin is about 12 months, after which the female gives
           birth to a calf about a metre long and 14 kg in weight. The calf may begin to take solid food
           between six months and one year, but it may continue to suckle for three or four years. The
           peak calving period is between spring and summer and most females give birth every 2 to 3
           years.

This information was found at this site:

http://www.mtn.co.za/whaleroute/species-bottlenosedolphin.html
 
 

Killer Whale Information

Killer Whale Movie

Scientific Name: Orcinus orca
Common Name: Killer Whale; in recognition of the significant role of
           warm-blooded prey in its diet; derivation of the name "whale killer" once used by
           whalers.

           Discovered: Linnaeus, 1758
             External Anatomy

                Very tall, straight characteristic dorsal fin up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) in males
                Jet black and pure white coloration
                White patch behind each eye
                Gray saddle patch behind dorsal fin
                White chin, chest and sides
                Large, paddle-shaped flippers
                Robust, heavy, stocky body
                Rounded head tapers to a point
                Indistinct beak
                Average adult body length: 6.7-8 m (males) 5.7-6.6 m (females)
                Average body weight: 4-6.3 tons (males) 2.6-3.8 tons (females)

FOOD & FEEDING:

                One of the most varried diets of all cetateans
                Prey include at least 24 species of cetaceans, five species of pinniped, dugong, 30 species
                of fish, seven species of bird and two specoes of squid, inaddition to a variety of other
                warm-blooded and cold-blooded sea creatures, such as turtles
                Feeding dives to depths of less than 100m
                Pods cooperate during a hunt
                Pods tend to specialize and frequently ignore potential prey

BEHAVIOR:

                Breaching, lobtailing, flipper-slapping and spyhopping common
                Other behavior includes beach-rubbing, speed-swimming, logging and dorsal fin slapping
                Can travel at up to 34 mph (55 km/h)
                Travel in pods of 3-25 whales
                Two or more pods may come together to form superpods of 150 or more whales
                Members of pod stay together for life
                Groups of closely related pods (known as clans) develop their own unique dialects
                Highly inquisitive and approachable
 

WORLD POPULATION:

                Total world population unknown
                     350 in Vancouver Island, Canada and Washington State
                     6618 in Iceland and Faeroese
                     289 in Shekilof Strait, Prince William Sound and southeastern Alaska
                     total of 324 individuals in Alaska

This information was found at this site:

http://whales.ot.com/whales/cetacean/killer_whale/home.html
 
 
 

Beluga Whale Information

Beluga Whale Sound

Family:
              Monodontidae
 Scientific Name:
              Delphinapterus leucas (which means "dolphin without a fin" and "white")
 Close Relatives:
              There is only one other member of the family Monodontidae, Monodon monoceros, the narwhal.

Appearance

Belugas are gray to pinkish brown at birth and become dark gray at about 2 years. They gradually
become a lighter gray, and most become white at maturity. Belugas have no dorsal (back) fins,
allowing them to swim freely below ice. Instead they have a dorsal ridge (a long bump along the back)
that helps them break through ice to create a breathing hole. Their short, broad flippers help them
steer. The large "forehead" is called the melon. They have 30 to 40 large teeth in a mouth that
appears to be smiling. Their average size is 13 to 16 feet and they weigh 1,500 to 3,000 pounds,
depending on population.

Habitat and Range

Belugas live in arctic and subarctic waters. Belugas migrate from open waters in the winter to shallow
estuaries during the summer.

Feeding and Diet

Belugas are opportunistic feeders, which means that they will eat whatever food is most convenient. They are known to eat schooling
fishes, squid and octopus, crustaceans, worms and clams found on the ocean floor. They move and feed in groups from just a few to
25 animals. Adult belugas may consume 40 to 80 pounds of food a day.

Predators

Killer whales, polar bears and man are predators. Beluga whales are hunted for aboriginal subsistence; that is, native people can
take a certain number each year for food in some areas of the world.

Reproduction

Beluga females reach sexual maturity between 4 and 7 years, and males at 8 or 9 years. Most mating occurs in the spring, and
gestation probably takes about 14 to 16 months. Females bear one calf at a time, which is approximately 5 feet long and weighs
between 80 and 150 pounds. The mother nurses the calf for 12 to 18 months, or until the next calf is born.

Longevity

Although no one knows for certain what the average lifespan of a beluga is, some early researchers estimated that belugas may live
10 to 15 years in the wild. Some belugas may live as long as 30 years, although others may not even reach the age of 10, depending
on a number of environmental factors. Females generally live longer than males.

Status

The beluga is not endangered in general, but in some areas belugas are threatened by toxic chemicals (as in the St. Lawrence
River).
luga Whale Information

This information was found at this site:

http://www.sheddnet.org/exhibits/belugas/facts/factsprint.html
 
 

This is a site with information on kinds of animals:

http://www.sheddnet.org/index.html