Dolphins & Teeth
Dolphins do have teeth, but most of them don't use them to chew their food – they swallow it whole, heat first, so the scales on the food do not disturb their throat. Their teeth are to defend themselves and to grip objects. They have two stomachs, one for food storage and one for digestion.
Dophins & Calfs & Social Skills
Dolphins typically only have one calf that stays with them for the first seven years of their life. They swim in groups called pods and maintain a social organization. If a dolphin is injured, the other dolphins will work together to help it get to the surface every thirty minutes to breathe.
Dolphins & Sleep
Dolphins (and whales) sleep unusually. It is called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, meaning that they sleep with only half of their brain. When a dolphin goes to sleep, it shuts down one hemisphere of its brain and closes the opposite eye. This allows the dolphin to monitor what's going on around them and regulate breathing.
While sleeping, some are motionless at the surface; other times, they might swim. Over 24 hours, each side of their brain gets about 4 hours of sleep. Sleeping with half of their brain allows them to check their surroundings for danger and maintain body heat.
Lifespan
Life expectancy varies, but a bottlenose dolphin can live 20 to 50 years. Determining their age is done by counting the rings inside each tooth. Each growth ring indicates one year of life.
Dolphins, in capacity, generally do not live as long as wild dolphins.
Orcas are Actually Dolphins
Did you know that Orcas, which are recognizable because of their black and white coloring, aren't actually whales; they are the largest members of the dolphin family. So how did they become called killer whales? The name killer whale came from ancient sailors who observed orcas hunting and preying on other whale species. They called them "asesina ballenas," which translates to whale killer, eventually being termed killer whale.
Dolphins Have More Brain Capacity Than Humans
Not only are dolphins' brains large, but they also have a complex neocortex, which is the part of the brain that allows you to be self-aware and solve problems. Beyond being able to recognize themselves in a mirror, dolphins also demonstrate their intelligence by being able to understand gestures that are highly complex from their human trainers.