Dolphin mortality results from both natural and anthropogenic causes. Natural causes include old age, failure to thrive as a calf, intra-specific agonistic interactions, predation, stingray wounds, disease, storms and biotoxins from harmful algal blooms such as red tides. Threats of human origin include entanglement in nets, entanglement in or ingestion of fishing gear, pollution, boat …
First of all, dolphins do sleep, but it’s not the type of sleep land mammals have. Dolphins are conscious breathers, which means they have to think about when to go up to the surface and take a breath. Since they don’t breathe autonomously and have to plan every single breath, they undergo a form of …
Dolphins keep a complex social network which includes a few close associates (such as mothers and calves or pair-bonded individuals) and some more casual relationships within a larger group. Dolphins hunt together for food, pods coordinate their movements to herd prey. They have a very acute sense of hearing which they use to communicate with …
