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A lot of people consider dolphins to be one amongst the fish - as they swim in the water. But in reality unlike fish who lay eggs, dolphins are warm-blooded mammals that give birth to baby dolphins and breathe air. There are many more unique characteristics that make dolphins an interesting creature on the earth. If you're ever had the opportunity to be near a dolphin you'll understand why they are as unique as they are. Dolphins, just like whales, are considered to be cetaceans and are part of the grouping of whales that are called odontocetes, which means that they have teeth. The teeth found on a dolphin are shaped like cones. Other whales fall into the group called mysticetes, in which case they don't have teeth to use for feeding. Dolphins live in tropical and warm waters. Many people are unaware of the fact that rivers and freshwaters are also home to few species of dolphins. These dolphins are however endangered and exist in very few numbers. Almost 57 species of dolphins exist in the world. All dolphins have a lustrous body, which is very sleek. They have a typical long-beak like nose which is called the "rostrum". Very often, spectators tend to confuse between the porpoise and the dolphins. Both look similar in looks but are in fact different animals. The difference can be seen in their teeth. The porpoise have teeth shaped like spades for digging rocks, whereas the dolphins have teeth shaped like cones. One more main difference is that porpoises live in very cold water which cannot be tolerated by the dolphins. One of the most common and well known species of dolphins is the Orca, also known as the killer whale. This large dolphin is considered to be fearless in the water, dominating the list of sea animals that people think of when they think of ferocious creatures. Dolphins have a long gestation period when it comes to the birth cycle of their young. The female dolphin will be pregnant for twelve months after which time she will give birth to one baby dolphin, called a "calf". Most baby calves will weight about 30 to 40 pounds and will be approximately 30 inches long. The mother dolphin will nurse her calf for the first two years of its life. Even after they're weaned, the dolphin calf will swim and play with its mother for between five and seven years. During this time the young dolphin will learn how to find food and to interact socially with its relatives. Dolphins live and move around in groups known as "pod". The males stay detached and do not take any interest in parenting. It is the females who rear the siblings and do all the nursing. The female does all the interaction with the calves and males do not involve themselves in community life other than impregnating the females. The dolphin continues to be one of the most fascinating animals in the world. This has a large part to do with its intelligence and incredible curiosity. These animals love to interact with man whenever they can, chirping in their native dolphin tongue about events in the water that we'll never understand.
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About the author: Joshua Plansden is the chief writer for A Dolphins Fan, a fantastic website to visit when you are searching for the latest knowledge, accurate up to date advice and commentary about dolphins, For more articles on dolphins why not visit: www.adolphinsfan.com/articles Click here to get your own unique version of this article.
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