Do you know dolphins and believe they are among the smartest animals?
Dolphins are mammals (哺乳动物), not fish. The most famous type is the Bottlenose Dolphin. Bottlenose Dolphins are the stars of many shows. Their mouths look like friendly smiles and they can be trained to play tricks by their trainers. Like other dolphins, they breathe air through the blowholes on top of their heads from the water surface. They also give birth to babies and feed their babies milk. Dolphins can communicate through whistles (哨音) and even call each other, using special names formed by different series of whistles. Noises also help them find food. Dolphins make up to 1,000 clicking noises per second. These clicks travel underwater until they hit an object and return to the dolphin, showing the object’s size, shape and location.
Humans have studied dolphins for years to learn how their brains work. A lot of research has been made to study dolphins in the wild. For example, people have seen dolphins off Australia’s coast use shells to catch fish. It shows that dolphins are good at using tools.
It is said that smart animals like to play. If so, dolphins win the gold medal for their playfulness. They can jump out of the water up to 16 feet, play amazing tricks and ride the waves.
Scientists give different reasons for play. They find that play helps animals grow mentally and physically. The animals learn their own limits and abilities, practice skills and gain confidence. So, when you see dolphins playing in the wild, you’ll know that they are not just playing for fun, but also to practice their skills and stay healthy.