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10 FACTS About FOXES That May Surprise You 🦊 Fun Fox Facts

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10 Datos Curiosos de los Koalas - ¿En qué se parecen a los seres humanos?

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Download FREE teacher-made resources covering 'Dolphin'

What is a dolphin?

Dolphins are a type of marine mammal that lives in oceans, seas and rivers all over the world. There are 42 known species of dolphin, ranging from the tiny M ā ui dolphin to the ginormous killer whale. However, it's expected that there are numerous dolphin species yet to be discovered.

Dolphins are considered to be one of the worlds most intelligent animals. They are very social creatures who can interact, play and hunt with one and other. They can communicate with each other using a variety of vocalisations in the form of clicks and whistles. They're also known to form close social bonds with other dolphins.

They live in groups which are called pods. Dolphin pods can contain anywhere between 2 to 30 dolphins at any given time. In some cases, pods will combine to form superpods. These superpods have been known to have upwards of 1000 members.

Being a type of mammal, dolphins must come to the surface of the water to breathe. They are also warm-blooded and have to stay above a certain temperature to survive. Unlike most of the creatures that live beneath the waves, dolphins give birth to live young and feed them with milk.

Although dolphins can be found in most major water bodies around the planet, some species are slowly dwindling in numbers. Some species are even considered to be critically endangered.

What are the types of dolphins?

There are two main types of dolphins in the world:

This is the largest family of dolphins, containing the largest type of dolphin to the smallest. Oceanic dolphins are found in all of the oceans and seas of the planet. The majority of species prefer the warm and tropical waters near to the equator. However, some species, such as the killer whale, live in the icy waters of polar regions. Somespecies are found in more warm and temperate climates Oceanic dolphins: all over the world, like the bottlenose dolphin.

River dolphins: River dolphins are a much smaller family compared to their oceanic relatives. They consist only of five species which includes the Ganges river dolphin, the Indus river dolphin and the Amazon river dolphin. Although they look a lot like oceanic dolphins, river dolphins are thought to have evolved independently for millions of years.

What do dolphins look like?

All species of dolphins have Depending on the species, dolphins can range in sizes between torpedo-shaped bodies that are perfect for helping them to quickly travel through the water. They have side flippers, tail flippers and large pointed heads. Dolphins also have 5 to 31 feet in length. They can also significantly vary in weight. Many dolphins weigh between 50 to 100 kilograms. However, the killer whale can weigh a whopping 10 tonnes! sharp teeth which help them to catch prey.

Dolphins use a blowhole on the top of their back to breathe. To use this, they have to go to the surface of the water. Most species of dolphins can hold their breath for several minutes at a time. They also have a thick layer of blubber which allows them to stay warm and remain buoyant.

What do dolphins eat?

Dolphins are carnivores, meaning that they eat meat to survive. Every species of dolphin loves to eat fish. From river basins to the depths of the ocean, this is the one thing that all dolphins have in common. The fish that dolphins eat can range from fatty salmon to small tropical reef fish.

However, each dolphin species has other favourite foods. Many oceanic dolphins love to eat squid and jellyfish. They also have an appetite for smaller prey in the form of shrimp, crab and octopus.

The largest of all dolphins, the killer whale, will sometimes feed on much larger prey. They are known to eat sea lions, other dolphins and whales.

What is a predator of a dolphin?

Most dolphins have few enemies. In fact, the majority of species are apex predators. This means that they are at the top of the food chain. However, some animals are known to eat dolphins. For example, great white sharks are frequently known to attack and eat smaller dolphin species. Killer whales are also known to eat dolphins, especially when food is scarce.

How smart are dolphins?

Dolphins are regarded as being They are capable of solving problems, forming complex social relationships and demonstrating emotion. They are also believed to be one of the most intelligent animals on the planet. They have much larger brains than most animals and are second to humans in regards to brain-to-body weight ratio. self-aware and can recognise themselves when they look in a mirror. Unlike most animals, dolphins enjoy playing and have even been shown to grieve.

Dolphins are one of the few animals that demonstrate culture between populations. Like humans, they can also learn and pass information between generations. For example, some dolphins have learnt how to hunt using tools from the environment. Older dolphins have also been witnessed showing young dolphins how to do this themselves.

All dolphins have a very complex communication system. They can communicate in pods numbering in the many hundreds. Each dolphin has an individual signature whistle which it uses to speak with other dolphins.

Where do dolphins live?

Dolphin habitats are incredibly diverse. Many dolphin species are also Dolphins can be found all over the world in both topical and temperate bodies of water. The vast majority of dolphins prefer warmer temperatures, however larger species, such as the killer whale, can live in polar regions. migratory. This means that they will change areas depending on the seasons to suit their optimal needs. These needs can include the availability of food and the temperature of the water.

Oceanic dolphins can live in oceans and coastal waters. Many oceanic species prefer the shallower water along the shoreline. However, others prefer the deep ocean where the water is cooler. Due to having more space in the ocean, oceanic dolphins tend to live in large pods. This means that the dolphin's habitat needs to have an abundant source of food.

The most common dolphin species is the bottlenose dolphin. Bottlenose dolphin habitats can be found all over the world. They can be found in bays, harbours, estuaries, gulfs, nearshore coastal waters and even further out into the ocean in the deeper waters. While they can be found almost everywhere, bottlenose dolphin habitats don't extend close to the North or South Pole as it's too cold. If you're lucky you can even find dolphins off the coast of the United Kingdom.

River dolphins can only survive in freshwater environments. They are typically found in the major rivers and tributaries of South American and Asia. River dolphin habitats mainly consist of rivers with large basins in which they have access to a high quantity of fish. Like their oceanic relatives, a lot of river dolphins will migrate as the season's change. For example, the Amazon river dolphin spends the dry seasons in the main river but will move to the smaller tributaries during the rain season.

How do dolphins hunt?

Due to the dolphins high level of intelligence, they can hunt in a variety of creative ways. They use their unique communication skills to strategise and coordinate themselves as they feed. They also use a series of vocal clicks, called echolocation, to locate schools of fish.

Many dolphin species use a type of feeding strategy called herding. Herding involves a pod of dolphins pushing a large school of fish into a more densely packed group. Once this has been achieved, the dolphins will individually take turns to attack the school. Dolphins and killer whales are also known to push their prey towards a beech, trapping them in the bay.

Dolphins are known to work alongside other species to get their food. For example, dolphins will sometimes purposely guide fish towards fishermen's nets so that they can be rewarded with the confused fish that manage to escape.

The favourite fish in northern bottlenose dolphin habitats is a nice tasty salmon. But for more ocean-based bottlenose dolphins it's a big squid or some crustaceans that they enjoy. They usually like to swallow these whole. Sometimes they're so big they have to throw them up into the air, so they can grab them easier.

In some dolphin populations, they sometimes use tools to help them feed. Dolphins have been known to use large shells to catch fish. They do this by scooping the fish in the shell, taking it to the surface of the water, turning it upside down and swallowing the catch.

Are dolphins endangered?

Despite being so widespread around the world, some species of dolphin are at risk of extinction. River dolphins, such as the Amazon river dolphin and the Yangtze river dolphin, are at the highest risk. This is mainly due to human actions.

Firstly, dolphins are frequently developing health problems due to human waste in the form of pesticides, metals and plastics. Many dolphins are also injured by boat propellers, especially in regions where there is a high level of boat tourism.

In the oceans, dolphins are constantly at risk of being caught in nets, particularly in areas that are suffering the effects of overfishing. In a pursuit to chase down food, dolphin schools can sometimes get caught in nets which means that they are unable to come up to breathe.

Whilst some species and their habitats are at risk, the bottlenose dolphin habitats aren't of much concern. However, due to the widespread nature of these habitats, they become more polluted and at risk at more waste gets released into the ocean.

5 Dolphin Facts:

1. Some dolphins can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

2. Dolphins can hear up to ten times the level of an adult human.

3. Dolphins are known to help and protect other species of animal - including humans.

4. They have two stomachs, one to store food and one to digest.

5. Dolphins can live for up to 50 years.

Educational videos about dolphins:

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What is a Dolpin? - Dolphin Facts for Kids - Twinkl

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In this fantastic Teaching Wiki, you'll learn everything you need to know about dolphins, including facts about a dolphin's habitat, diet, and intelligence.

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Tarantulas give people the creeps because they have large, hairy bodies and legs. While these large spiders can take a painful bite out of a human, a tarantula's venom has a low toxicity to people.

Tarantulas move slowly on their eight hairy legs, but they are accomplished nocturnal predators. Insects are their main prey, but they also target bigger game, including frogs, toads, and mice. Tarantulas are burrowers and typically live in the ground.

There are hundreds of tarantula species found in most of the world's tropical, subtropical, and desert regions. They vary in color and behavior according to their specific environments. A tarantula doesn't use a web to trap its prey, though it may spin a trip wire to signal an alert when something approaches its burrow. These spiders grab with their legs, inject paralyzing venom, and then bite their prey with their fangs. They also secrete digestive enzymes to liquefy their victims' bodies so that they can suck them up through their strawlike mouth openings. Yum!

Tarantulas have few natural enemies, except for the parasitic pepsis wasp, which can paralyze a tarantula with its sting and lay its eggs on the spider's body. When the wasp eggs hatch, the larvae chow down on the still living tarantula. Tarantulas shed their external skeletons in a process called molting. During the process, they also replace internal organs, such as stomach lining, and can even regrow lost legs.

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Tarantulas give people the creeps because they have large, hairy bodies and legs. While these large spiders can take a painful bite out of a human, a tarantula's venom has a low toxicity to people. Tarantulas move slowly on their eight hairy legs, but they are accomplished nocturnal predators.

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When a great white shark is born, along with up to a dozen siblings, it immediately swims away from its mother. Born on the east and west coasts of North America, the south of Africa and southwest Australia, baby sharks are on their own right from the start. Their mother may see them only as prey.

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When a great white shark is born, along with up to a dozen siblings, it immediately swims away from its mother. Born on the east and west coasts of North America, the south of Africa and southwest Australia, baby sharks are on their own right from the start.

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Koalas are marsupials, related to kangaroos.

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The giraffe is the tallest living animal. It can reach a height of more than 18 feet (5.5 meters). Giraffes live on the plains of eastern Africa. The scientific name of the…

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