Dolphins, who live in the ocean, are astonishing and amazing creatures. They are mammals even though they
live under water. Around the world there are 30 different species of dolphins. To know more about
them we study about their family, habitat, and food.
Not only are they friendly with each other, dolphins take care of their pod, or family. Dolphins only have one
calf, or baby, at a time and that same calf stays with its pod for six years or more. When the calf turns two the
parents teach it to survive by hunting. There can be 2 to 15 dolphins in a pod, who use clicks and
whistles, to communicate. In the deep ocean , the dolphin family takes care of each other.
Dolphins, who like living in warm waters, are most often found near the equator. They also like to live in the
open ocean, and in the warm shallow coastal waters. So they are often spotted on the Virginia and the
Carolina coasts during the summer. They like to live in salty waters because that is where most of their food
is found.
Dolphins, who can weigh up to 100 to 1,000 pounds, consume many varieties of animals found under the sea. Their
favorite food is mackerel which is a small fish. Dolphins will also devour squid and crabs but mackerel is still
their favorite.
When watching a pod of dolphins feeding and playing off the coast, we see how majestic these animals are.
Learning more about their family, habitat, and food helps us to see that dolphins are amazing
creatures.
