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Dolphin

It's In the Teeth: The toothed whale group, of which the dolphin is a member, also includes river dolphins, porpoises, white whales, sperm whales, orcas and beaked whales. Unlike baleen whales, which scoop large quantities of water into their mouths and filter out mass quantities of food, dolphins capture their prey individually. Their conically shaped teeth are perfect for catching fish, squid or other whales.

Clicks and Echos: All toothed whales use echolocation to find and kill their prey as well as to avoid obstacles. High frequency clicks are emitted from the blowhole. A fluid-filled sac on the top of its head and just forward of the blowhole changes shape as the dolphin focuses the clicks. Bouncing off objects the clicking sound returns and passes through the dolphin's jaw. The time it takes for the sound to make its way back to the dolphin reveals the size and location of the object.

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MORE DOLPHIN

VIDEO: Supersonic Genius Dolphins

ARTICLE: Why Are They So Smart?

AUDIO: The Meaning of Sound

INTERACTIVE: Anatomy of a Dolphin

FACTS: More Dolphin Facts

SPECIES: Indus River Dolphin

SPECIES: Meet the Baiji

DID YOU KNOW?

Two Times the Stomach: Like cows, dolphins have more than one stomach. They have two in fact: one that stores food and one that digests.

Following the Herd: A common hunting method among dolphins is to herd a school of fish into a tight ball, then take turns plowing through the center, feeding.

Only Half-Asleep: When dolphins sleep, they only shut down one hemisphere of their brain, remaining conscious enough to breathe and look out for predators.

Plenty Playful: Dolphins love to play. They often play with seaweed, or play-fight with one another — they even harass other sea creatures. Surfing coastal swells is also a method of play.

How Stuff Works

How Can Dolphins Disarm Sea Mines?
The U.S. Navy has been training bottle-nosed dolphins to find explosive sea mines since the 1960's. Find out more at HowStuffWorks.com.