Guide Note

Closely related to whales, dolphins are intelligent marine mammals that inhabit oceans virtually world wide. Of the 36 dolphin species, the orca, or "killer whale," is the largest at about 23 feet long and the Heaviside's dolphin, about 3¹/₂ feet long, is the smallest.¹

Fast Facts

1. Diet: Fish, squid and crustaceans
2. Life span: Depending on the species, 20-90 years¹
3. Swallow their food whole²
4. Born tail first²
5. 2007 was deemed the "Year of the Dolphin" by the United Nations Environment Programme³
6. The "Year of the Dolphin" was extended into 2008
7. Can be trained by humans to perform tricks

Dolphins live in loosely associated groups known as pods, which may consist of anywhere from five to several hundred individuals. They work together to hunt prey and use several different vocalizations to locate and communicate with one another. Dolphins are the fastest of all marine mammals¹ and can leap up to 16 feet out of the water.⁴Dolphins have been observed swimming alongside boats¹, surfing with humans and working together to help injured or newborn pod members.⁵