Dolphins

In News

A new study has found that noise generated by human activity makes it harder for dolphins to communicate and coordinate with each other.

  • As the levels of underwater noise increase, these mammals have to “shout” to each other.

About Dolphins

  • They are a type of marine mammal that belongs to cetaceans.
  • They are social mammals that communicate through squeaks, whistles, and clicks. They also use echolocation in order to locate food and other objects.
    • Therefore, anthropogenic noise coming from large commercial ships, military sonars or offshore drilling can severely impact their well-being.
  • They are popularly noted for their grace, intelligence, playfulness, and friendliness to humans.
  • They can live in either fresh or saltwater. 
    • Distributed in marine environments worldwide, they range from equatorial to subpolar waters and also can be found in many major river systems.

Do you know?

  • The Gangetic river dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal. It is a Schedule I animal under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, of 1972. 
    • It has been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
  • It is one of four freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other three are found in the Yangtze river in China (now extinct), the Indus river in Pakistan, and the Amazon river in South America.
  • It lives in a zone where there is little or no current, helping them save energy. If they sense danger, they can dive into deep waters. 

Source:IE