National Dolphin Day

Today is National Dolphin Day!

Dolphins are aquatic mammals that share a close relation with beluga whales, narwhals, and porpoises. "Dolphin" and "porpoise" are sometimes used interchangeably, but in reality, they are different animals, and there are ways to tell them apart. Mainly that porpoises have shorter beaks and spade-shaped teeth (dolphin teeth are conical in shape). They also behave differently than dolphins. There are about 40 known species of dolphins, the arguably most famous being the bottleneck dolphin due to it being the most common dolphin in captivity.

Most dolphins live in the seas, but there are some dolphins do live in freshwater bodies as well as in brackish waters (Brackish waters are basically between fresh and saltwater in salinity). Dolphins also lack gills. Like whales, they use blowholes to breathe, and their time in the water is just them holding their breath like humans. Dolphins are carnivorous, often feeding on fish and squids, but some do feed on other dolphins and even seabirds. The term dolphin comes from a Greek term meaning "fish with a womb", a reference to the mammalian animals giving live births like humans instead of laying eggs. 

Dolphins are social animals, and they form pods of various sizes. They are also rather vocal, communicating through clicks and whistles. Dolphin are among the noisiest marine animals, and that's because they use echolocation to get around. Dolphin pods can be close-knit, and they have been known to aid injured members. In fact, dolphins have been shown to be among the most intelligent animals in the sea. They are capable of grieving, scheming, teaching other dolphins, and even cooperation with each other. 

In Ancient Greece, dolphins were seen as protectors of humanity, and since dolphins have been known to help human swimmers, it makes sense. Dolphins in the wake of a ship was seen as a good omen. They were seen as messengers of the sea god Poseidon. Hindu mythology ties the dolphins of the Ganges river to the goddess Ganga. In the Amazon, it's believed the Boto dolphins of the river are shapeshifters than can have children with human women. There's a similar belief in the Caroline Islands.

So yeah, dolphins are wonderous critters. Hope you learned something neat today! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give my blog some extra support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!