Facts About Dolphins

Anatomy of a dolphin





Watch video footage of beautiful dolphins in the wild.





The biggest dolphin is the orca . Even though it is sometimes called a killer whale, it is in fact a member of the dolphin family. Pilot whales are also dolphins!In terms of length, the New Zealand dolphin and the vaquita (a species of porpoise) are probably the smallest at about 1.4 metres. However, in terms of weight the finless porpoise probably wins as the lightest, reaching a maximum weight of 55kg. Approximately 3000 finless porpoises would weigh the same as one blue whale Unlike you and me, dolphins have to be conscious to decide when to breathe. If they went into a deep sleep they would stop breathing and suffocate or drown. So, their solution is to let only one half of their brain sleep at a time. This way they get the rest they need but stay semi-conscious to continue breathing and look out for any dangers.