Around 40 species of toothed whale, from the 1.7 m Maui’s dolphin to the orca, the largest at 9.5 m. Most live in the sea, but a few live in rivers in South Asia and South America.
This entry covers a whole group, so the answers describe a typical member. For a specific one, see Orca.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
Dolphin meat is eaten in a few countries, including Japan and Peru.
At a glance
Found inOceans
HabitatOpen ocean, Coast, Rivers & lakes
ColoursGrey
SizeLarge
Length2.3–3.8 m (common bottlenose dolphin)
Weight260–500 kg (common bottlenose dolphin)
LegsNone
Covered inSkin
Lives inpods
Lives for40–60 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Oceans worldwide, plus a few large rivers in South Asia and South America.
- What it eats
- Mostly fish and squid, caught with cone-shaped teeth. The largest dolphins, such as the orca, also hunt seals and other marine mammals.
Did you know
Sleeps one half of the brain at a time, so it keeps breathing.
Some dolphins can briefly swim at 29 km/h or leap about 9 m.
Often confused with
- Porpoise
A porpoise has flat, spade-shaped teeth and usually no pronounced beak. Dolphins have cone-shaped teeth, and most have a beak.
Sources
Play
Could you have guessed it?
A photo, a few hints, one guess. Same 438 animals.
