Their language hasn't been deciphered
Dolphins respond to their name
They don't use their teeth as we do
They take power naps
They’re very social
They live in groups
They communicate through sounds
They use echolocation to navigate
There are lots of dolphin species
Amazon dolphin
Porpoises are not dolphins
Some dolphin species are endangered
Lifespan

Their language hasn't been deciphered

Scientists have been studying dolphin vocalizations for a long time, but their language still remains a mystery.

Dolphins respond to their name

Every dolphin has its own signature whistle. How cool is that?

They use their unique whistles to call out to one another. Scientists believe they might even be able to remember other dolphins' whistles after years apart.

They don't use their teeth as we do

Dolphins have teeth, but they don't use them to chew food, as we do.

Instead, dolphins use their teeth to catch prey and swallow it whole, without chewing them.

They take power naps

Dolphins are unable to breathe underwater, so how do they sleep without drowning? They take 15-20-minute naps!

Dolphins have complex social networks. Scientists discovered that they actually make friends with other dolphins. In this aspect, they are similar to humans, as they prefer the company of certain dolphins more than others.

Calves

Calves are nursed between one to two years, and then usually stay with their mothers for another one to seven years.

They live in groups

Sometimes these pods merge and they form a superpod that can consist of over 1,000 dolphins!

They communicate through sounds

They use clicks and whistles to communicate with each other underwater.

They use echolocation to navigate

Dolphins have their own sonar. This allows them to detect other objects via sound waves.

There are lots of dolphin species

You're probably more familiar with bottlenose dolphins, but there are actually 44 dolphin species.

Amazon dolphin

The Amazon dolphin is an essential part of the Brazilian fauna and the largest species of freshwater dolphins among the four on the planet.

Porpoises are not dolphins

They might look alike, but they’re not even from the same family. When compared to porpoises, dolphins are usually bigger and have longer beaks and curved dorsal fins.

Some dolphin species are endangered

This is mostly due to hunting (their meat is eaten in parts of Japan and the Faroe Islands), overfishing (many get caught up in fishing nets), and pollution.