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added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
posted by Theresa92
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin. They vary in size from 1.2 m (4 ft) and 40 kg (90 lb) (Maui's dolphin), up to 9.5 m (30 ft) and 10 tonnes (9.8 LT; 11 ST) (the orca or killer whale). They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. The family Delphinidae is the largest in the Cetacean order, and evolved relatively recently, about ten million years ago, during the Miocene. Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals, and their often friendly appearance and seemingly playful attitude have made them popular in human culture.
posted by Theresa92
What does it mean to "keep a dolphin in captivity"? Well, simply put, it means keeping them in as a kind of pet. Just as we would keep fish in a fish tank or a bird in a birdcage, dolphins are kept in dolphin tanks - which can be as big as a football field. But these tanks are not the dolphin's natural environment, so there are a lot of risks and possible problems that can occur. But the people who are responsible for taking care of the captive dolphins know these risks and do all they can to plan for each one to ensure that the dolphin is healthy, happy, and can survive just as well in captivity...
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posted by Theresa92
What makes dolphins so smart?
Well, their brains, of course. Dolphins have large brains for their bodies — in fact, a bottlenose dolphin is second only to humans in the ratio of brain size to body size. Researchers have also pointed to the parallels in the organization of dolphin and primate brains as more evidence of high intelligence in dolphins. Some have gone so far as to suggest that dolphins actually have a language that humans simply cannot comprehend.

But others say that in our enthusiasm to anthropomorphize dolphins, we give them powers they just don't possess. A closer look suggests...
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added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92
added by Theresa92