What is Facts about dolphins?

Dolphins are marine mammals related to whales; the name covers a group of species with differing traits rather than one species.

Breathing and communication

Dolphins breathe air with lungs and must surface. They give birth and nurse their young. Many species use sound and echolocation to understand surroundings and locate prey, while vision and other senses also matter. Group structure, hunting and coastal habits vary. Living in water does not make them fish. Images of dolphins playing with people do not mean all individuals welcome close approach.

Watching and protecting them

Boat traffic, noise, entanglement in fishing gear and food changes can affect populations. Approaching or feeding them may alter natural behaviour or threaten safety; distance and local rules matter. Rather than making sweeping claims about intelligence, examine a species’ behaviour in context. NOAA treats different dolphins and porpoises individually.