Dolphins are very intelligent and they are well loved by humans. This aquatic mammal has been able to fascinate us in a variety of ways. They are curious, energetic and have been known to help humans in a variety of circumstances including rescues, fending off sharks and with fishing. They have been the star in a few movies, the most famous being ”Free Willy”.
The word, dolphin, refers to small cetaceans with beak-like snouts. However, this word can be somewhat ambiguous. Dolphins, such as, killer whales, do not have pronounced rostrums. All dolphins do have a well-developed melon that works with their blowhole. They use their melon and blowhole for echolocation; the blowhole focuses a concentrated beam of sounds that the melon picks-up like a radar. This allows dolphins to understand what is around them.
Within the Gulf of Mexico there are roughly 32 different species and counting as scientist discover more and more species. Most dolphins enjoy company and live in groups called schools or pods, which allows them to be more efficient hunters and more effective in fending off predators. Like humans and apes, dolphins have what is known as, altruistic behavior, meaning they will help another individual or even a member of another species without the thought of gaining any benefits for themselves.