They create these sounds using nasal sacs in their heads and their blowholes.
Bottlenose dolphins communicate with each other using a collection of chirps, whistles, and clicks. Sounds travel through their lower jaw to their inner ear. They also have an excellent sense of hearing. They secrete a mucus over their eyes which washes away debris. They have strong eye muscles which can change the shape of their lens and allow them to focus both underwater and in the air. They can also move each eye independently of the other, providing even more range. With eyes located at the side of their heads, they have a nearly 360-degree field of vision. One side of their brain must always be active so that they remember to breathe.Īlthough they have little to no sense of smell, bottlenose dolphins have other well-developed sensory organs. They must consciously swim to the surface to take a breath. Humans, by comparison, only exchange 17% of the air in their lungs when they breathe.ĭolphins aren’t involuntary breathers like humans. When they inhale, they can exchange up to 80% of the contents of their lungs. Dolphins can exhale air at 160 km/hr (100 mph). A muscular flap covers their blowhole while underwater and opens to exhale once they reach the surface.
#Bottlenose dolphin skin#
They have sensitive, smooth skin that flakes off and gets replaced every few hours.ĭespite the fact that they live underwater and can hold their breath for up to 7 minutes, dolphins must come to the surface to breathe air. They have a thick layer of blubber which helps them maintain their body heat and protects them from predators such as killer whales and large sharks. Males are significantly larger than females.Ī curved dorsal fin in the middle of their back, along with powerful, broad flukes on their tail and a pointed flipper on each side allow bottlenose dolphins to swim speeds up to 35 km/h (22 mph) and dive as deep as 915 m (3000 ft.). Bottlenose dolphins measure around 2-4 m (6-12 ft.) long and weigh 135-650 kg (300 – 1400 lbs.). Its sleek, conical body varies in color from a light to slate grey on the upper body to a pale to pinkish grey on the bottom part. Like the name “bottlenose” suggests, this species of dolphin has a short, stubby beak. In the wild, bottlenose dolphins inhabit the temperate and tropical oceans around the world, with coastal populations entering into bays, estuaries, and river mouths.
#Bottlenose dolphin tv#
Commonly seen in aquariums, sea parks, TV shows, and movies, the bottlenose dolphin is a wildly recognizable cetacean (marine mammal).
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