Bottle Nosed Dolphins
Bottle nosed dolphins are one of the most loved marine mammals, known for their intelligence, playfulness and big smile. Bottle nosed dolphins are what most people picture when they think or hear about dolphins. Although there are more than 30 different species of dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin will always take the popular vote.
The bottlenose dolphin is found in tropical waters all over the world. They are gray in color, with an aerodynamic shape that helps them glide easily through the water and enables them to swim at speeds of 5-7 miles per hour. The most prominent feature of the bottle nosed dolphin is its elongated beak, called a rostrum, which gives this marine mammal their happy, smiling look.
This type of dolphin is divided into two basic ecotypes: coastal and offshore. Bottlenose dolphins that dwell along shorelines are generally smaller in size, averaging about 8 feet in length and weighing well over 500 pounds. Dolphins living further out in the ocean are much larger, growing to lengths of up to 12 feet and reaching weights of more than 1000 pounds.
As with all dolphin species, the bottle nosed dolphin eats small fish, like mackerel, cod or herring, and squid. It is not unusual to see a pod of dolphins working together to herd a school of fish then taking turns swooping through the school to grab their food. This is just one way dolphins exhibit their high level of socialization. They are also commonly seen jumping and playing in the water and even splashing about in the wake left by passing boats.
Bottle nosed dolphins are highly intelligent, and they perform in aquarium shows at marine theme parks all over the world. Since dolphins are so smart, they can be trained to perform high jumps and other behaviors that make for fun and entertaining shows.
Another increasingly popular marine park feature is the opportunity to get in the water and swim with the dolphins. Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida, is one such theme park that was created solely for the purpose of bringing people closer to these amazing marine mammals.
The Dolphin Research Center located in the Florida Keys is another place where humans can enjoy the close company of dolphins. Here the focus is more on education than entertainment, and they also conduct a lot of research into how dolphins affect people with disabilities or special needs. This is an emerging field of study that may show that dolphins can do more than just entertain humans. Perhaps they can be used in healing as well.
The bottle nosed dolphin is not endangered, as their numbers are quite robust in the wild. They are still protected, however, by the Marine Mammal Protection Act that was passed several years ago after it was discovered that dolphin deaths were being caused by entanglement in commercial fishing nets used to catch tuna. Because of that single act, steps were enacted to make tuna fish that is "dolphin safe."
This is a great example of how responsible human behavior can ensure that intelligent creatures like the bottle nosed dolphin will continue to thrive in our oceans.