Saving the Planet - Endangered Species

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	Endangered Species: Dolphins


Boto	Common	Atlantic white-sided

Atlantic spotted	Bottlenose	Baiji

SPECIES

There are a lot of species of dolphins. Here are the names of some: Amazon river (Boto), Atlantic humpback, Atlantic white-sided, Atlantic spotted, Baiji, Bottlenose, Chinese white, Common, Dusky, Hector's, Indio-pacific humpback, Pantropical spotted, Rough-toothed, Spinner, White-beaked, Pacific white-sided, Hourglass, Frasers, Orca, Risso's, Tucuxi dolphins. They are found in oceans world wide.

BASIC FACTS

Dolphins along with porpoises and whales form a group called cetaceans (se-ta-tions). Dolphins are mammals so they need to breathe. They can hold their breath for up to seven minutes! Their main diet is mostly fish and squid. The biggest dolphin is the orca at 9.8 metres and the smallest dolphin is the tucuxi at 1.6 metres.

BABIES

Baby dolphins are called calves. Mothers have one calf at a time. The calf is born tail first. After the birth there is a gap from two to five years before the next pregnancy. Once the calf is born other females help the mother. When the calf is only a newborn the others will ward off sharks and male dolphins.The other females who help the mother care for the calf are called "aunts".

Dolphin and baby

WHY ENDANGERED

Dolphins are rapidly vanishing because they are caught in fishing nets too often. They get caught because they swim in to the net to get the fish. When the net closes the dolphin is unable to get out. It struggles and it can't breathe so it drowns. This isn't as commen but they can also get badly hurt by boat motors.