Have you ever seen a dolphin and wondered, "Is it a fish or something different?" Dolphins navigate the water like fish, reside in aquatic environments like fish, and possess a similar streamlined body form.

But despite these similarities, dolphins are not fish at all—they are mammals! Surprising, right? This fascinating fact sets them apart in the marine world and makes them even more extraordinary. Let's explore further what genuinely distinguishes dolphins as mammals rather than fish.

Dolphin Show in Dubai FULL VIDEO | Sea World's Dolphin Show Live

Video by News Hour India

Are Dolphins Fish?

Dolphins can glide through the water with the same elegance as any fish, yet they are not classified as fish. Dolphins belong to the mammal family. This puts them in the ranks of other famous marine mammals such as whales, seals, and manatees.

So why are dolphins mammals?

• Are warm-blooded

• Breathe through lungs, not gills

• Give birth to live young

• Produce milk for their young

• Have body hair (doesn’t look like it, but they do!)

Warm-Blooded

What does it mean to be warm-blooded?

Warm-blooded refers to the ability of their body to control its temperature, allowing them to remain warm even when the surrounding water is cold.

Why is this important?

Certain native habitats, like the waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, can become quite cold. In these places, being warm-blooded helps dolphins survive and thrive.

Breathing Through Lungs

Do dolphins have gills?

No, unlike fish that extract oxygen from water using gills, dolphins breathe air through lungs.

How do dolphins breathe?

They come up to the surface to breathe through a blowhole located on the top of their heads.

Giving Birth to Live Young

How do dolphins reproduce?

Dolphins give birth to live young, unlike fish that usually lay eggs.

What happens after birth?

Mother dolphins nurse their babies, providing them with milk to grow and develop.

Body Hair

Do dolphins really have hair?

Yes! Though it may be surprising, dolphins have small hair follicles that can be found around their blowhole when they are born.

What happens to this hair?

These hairs usually fall off as dolphins mature, but the presence of hair at any stage of life is another indicator that they are mammals.

What makes dolphins so unique?

Dolphins stand out as extraordinary creatures in the animal kingdom. While they share their aquatic environment with fish, their warm-blooded nature, lung-based breathing, live births, and maternal care make them true mammals. Their intelligence and social behavior only add to their charm, reminding us that these fascinating marine mammals are far more complex than they might appear at first glance.