Fun Facts About Dolphins

Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins are named "bottlenose" after their short, stubby rostrums or beaks. Dolphins use tools such as sponges to protect their rostrum (beak) while foraging on the bottom of the ocean.

Dolphins can make up to 1,000 clicking noises per second. These sounds travel underwater until they encounter objects, then bounce back to their dolphin senders, revealing details like location, shape, and target size.

Adults eat about 5% of their body weight per DAY.

Because they consciously breathe, dolphins shut down one hemisphere of their brains to stay alive while sleeping. While resting, the other half of the brain monitors what is happening in the environment and controls breathing functions.

Dolphins swallow their food whole, and their stomach has three chambers aiding in their digestion.

Dolphins don't make any noises with their mouth – they don't even have vocal cords. All sounds come through the dolphin's blowhole!

Bottlenose dolphins have between 80 -100 conical teeth.

A Bottlenose dolphin can be 8.5 feet long and 400-500 pounds.

As they are mammals, dolphins are born with hair. A baby dolphin (calf) is born with whiskers on its upper jaw (rostrum) that fall out soon after birth.

A Bottlenose dolphin can, on average, hold its breath for 5 – 7 minutes.