A bottlenose dolphin







Dolphin Pod



Bottlenose






Performing Bottlenose Dolphins

elephants

Overview

Once common throughout Africa and Asia, elephant numbers were severely depleted during the 20th century, largely due to the massive ivory trade. While some populations are now stable and growing, poaching, conflict and habitat destruction continue to threaten the species.

• dWeight
  4-6 tons
• CLength
  18-24 ft.

The largest land mammal on earth, the African elephant weighs up to eight tons. The elephant is distinguished by its massive body, large ears and a long trunk, which has many uses ranging from using it as a hand to pick up objects, as a horn to trumpet warnings, an arm raised in greeting to a hose for drinking water or bathing.
Asian elephants differ in several ways from their African relatives. They are much smaller in size and their ears are straight at the bottom, unlike the large fan-shape ears of the African species. Only some Asian male elephants have tusks. All African elephants, including females, have tusks. Elephants are either left or right-tusked and the one they use more is usually smaller because of wear and tear. The Asian elephant has four toes on the hind foot and five on the forefoot, while the African elephant has three on the hind foot and five on the forefoot.
Led by a matriarch, elephants are organized into complex social structures of females and calves, while male elephants tend to live in isolation. A single calf is born to a female once every 4-5 years and after a gestation period of 22 months—the longest of any mammal. These calves stay with their mothers for years and are also cared for by other females in the group.
The two species of elephants—African and Asian—need extensive land to survive. Roaming in herds and consuming hundreds of pounds of plant matter in a single day, both species of elephant require extensive amounts of food, water and space. As a result, these large mammals place great demands on the environment and often come into conflict with people in competition for resources.

Why They Matter

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  © Steve Morello / WWF-Canon

  The seeds of many plant species are dependent on passing through an elephant's digestive tract before they can germinate. It is calculated that at least a third of tree species in central African forests rely on elephants in this way for distribution of seeds.
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  Elephants help maintain forest and savanna ecosystems for other species, and are integrally tied to rich biodiversity.
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  Elephants directly influence forest composition and density, and can alter the broader landscape. In tropical forests, elephants create clearings and gaps in the canopy that encourage tree regeneration. In the savannas, they reduce bush cover to create an environment favorable to a mix of browsing and grazing animals.

Threats

The greatest threats facing elephants today are poaching, conflict with humans, and habitat loss and degradation. Elephants across Africa and Asia are being poached for their ivory at increasing levels

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/elephant

Elephants are one of the  largest land mammal on earth. Elephants are extremely intelligent animals and have memories that span many years. Elephants prefer to breed during the rainy season. The estimated amount of monts they carry a calf is 22 months. Elepants usually have 1 calf (twins rare).
Calves weigh between 200-250 lbs at birth. At birth, a calf's trunk has no muscle tone, therefore it will suckle through its mouth. It takes several months for a calf to gain full control of its trunk.

dolphin reprodution

   Dolphin Reproduction
 

Dolphin Reproduction

The age of maturity for dolphins varies significantly based on many factors. The location where they live, the temperature of the water, food sources, and even the species all play a factor. For females, that age can range from 5 to 13. For males it is often much later with the range being from 9 to 14 years of age.
What is very interesting is that dolphins are known to take part in mating activities for purposes other than reproduction. They may do so out of emotional bonding as humans do. When there is a lack of food or environmental stressors, they may not take part in mating at all. This is part of their instinctive means of survival. They focus their attention on taking care of their basic needs. When food is plentiful and there are few environmental stressors they are more likely to take part in mating.
Males can be very aggressive towards each other when it comes to the right to mate.They make sounds to warn each other off and they may collide their bodies against each other. The use of the fluke is very common when it comes to males trying to show their strength. There is usually not any real damage from these battles, but they can continue until the males are exhausted and until one of them goes away in defeat.
The female will mate with the one that is the strongest and most dominant. The males can be very aggressive too with females that aren’t very responsive to the advances. The male can quickly become impatient with a female that doesn’t want to mate with him. Sometimes, dolphins will show signs of sexual activity towards humans or other forms of aquatic life they come into contact with.

Dolphin Calf in captivity

If the female is responsive to the male, then he seems to be more relaxed. There can be plenty of touching and interacting with a pair of dolphins before mating takes place. They pair will likely engage in mating several times over a period of a few days. Then the male will move on with the quest of looking for other females that he could possibly mate with.
The amount of time it takes after mating for the offspring to be born varies based on the species. The shortest time span is 12 months for the Tucuxi Dolphin and the longest is for the Orca which is about 17 months. For all other species, it is in that given range and even location can play a role in when the offspring will be born. It is very rare for twins to be born, but it has been documented. Almost all births though are singles and it is quite an amazing experience.
What is very unique about the birth of a dolphin calf is that it is born tail first instead of head first like all other mammals. The females will move to very shallow water for the young to be born. They are often accompanied by one or two other dolphins that will assist with the birth. Usually, those assistants are females but they can also be male.
The assistance is very similar to the birth of a human baby. The other dolphins soothe the mother and they help with the calf when it is born. They aid the calf to the surface of the water to get its first breath. These young are coordinated to swim, they have their eyes open, and their senses are fully alert.

Dolphin mother and calf

At the same time, other dolphins of the pod will keep a close circle around the offspring and the mother. They want to make sure that the blood from the birth isn’t going to attract any predators. When the pod is in movement, the young are at the center of it, with protection all around to help them have the best chance of survival.
The young measure from 33 to 55 inches when they are born, depending on the species. They can weigh from 23 to 65 pounds at birth. They will consume milk from their mother for 1 year to 1 ½ years. They will be introduced to fish and squid though when they are around 4 months of age. The fat in the milk helps them to grow very quickly.
After being fully weaned, the males will leave the pod and either create their own pod or join another one. The female offspring may live in the same pod as their mother for their entire life. If they do leave, they will be within a very close proximity.
A mature dolphin will usually only have 1 calf every 3 to 6 years. This slow rate of reproduction is one of the common problems that makes it hard to increase the numbers of any species of dolphin

http://www.dolphins-world.com/dolphin-reproduction/

Throughout the year, mating season is usually in spring or fall. Dolphins are usually pregnant for 9-17 months depending on the species. When it is time to give birth, the female will distance herself from the pod, often going near the surface of the water. Dolphins usually breed one calf; twins are rare.

As soon as the calf is born, the mother takes it to the surface so it can take its first breath. The calf will nurse from 11 months to 2 years.

Dolpin range, population, diet, etc

Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals and are part of the family of toothed whales that includes orcas and pilot whales. They are found worldwide, mostly in shallow seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. Dolphin coloration varies, but they are generally gray in color with darker backs than the rest of their bodies. Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals and are part of the family of toothed whales that includes orcas and pilot whales. They are found worldwide, mostly in shallow seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. Dolphin coloration varies, but they are generally gray in color with darker backs than the rest of their bodies.

Diet

Dolphins consume a variety of prey including fish, squid and crustaceans.

Population

It is difficult to estimate population numbers since there are many different species spanning a large geographic area

Range

Most species live in shallow areas of tropical and temperate oceans throughout the world. Five species live in the world's rivers.

It is hard to estimate a dolphins population because there are many different species.

Most of the species live in shallow areas of tropical and temperate oceans. 

Dolphin Predators

Dolphin Predators

Dolphins appear to make a tasty meal for many predators. And why not? With an exceptionally high fat content, dolphins and other cetaceans provide great nutrition for predators who stalk, or swim stalkingly, throughout the ocean.
However, dolphins are more trouble than it’s worth and most predators generally learn to steer clear of dolphin pods, including sharks.
Like elephants, dolphins will circle protectively around the weak members of the pod, and viciously attack anything that approaches in a threatening manner. And they can kill sharks. Most predators take one look, and then just swim away.

Sharks and Other Ocean Predators

Dolphins don’t worry a lot about being eaten. In general, their only real predator is the shark, and even then only the larger species of sharks dare to attack dolphins. Dolphins have evolved over the millennia to be pretty tough, so in general even most sharks stay away from them.
Dolphin parts have been found in the bellies of killer whales, who will eat just about anything. Whether this means the orca scavenged the dolphin or actually hunted it down is unknown.
In fact, dolphins and Killer whales team sometimes to catch some prey.

Killer whale – Apex predator

The Most Dangerous Predator

As with most edible species today, the most dangerous threat is man.
For years, dolphin was discarded as source of proteins because of their gentleness and the stories about rescued sailors, but with time, such respect has been lost and dolphins are increasingly threatened.
Sometimes, dolphins are killed not because they are a source of food, but because they prey on the same fish species than humans. Therefore, many fishermen have killed dolphins specifically because they think dolphins will ruin their catch.
Even more, there are some countries that eat cetaceans, including dolphins. In Japan, the meat of some dolphin species is seen as a delicacy, and can cost up to US $25 a pound.
In Peru and many other Latin American countries where the ocean has been largely depleted of fish due to overfishing or environmental conditions such as El Nino, fishermen have turned to catch dolphins and porpoises to sell in fish markets.
Besides, there are some countries like the Faroe Islands, where killing and eating cetaceans, including dolphins, is a longstanding cultural tradition.

Unintentional Deaths

Tragically, the largest group of dolphins killed by man are those killed by accident or incidentally during large-scale fishing operations. Drift nets are unbreakable nets set adrift to catch whatever swims their way – sort of like oceangoing traps.
Dolphins and other cetaceans that swim into these nets following fish, become entangled and die drown when they can’t reach the surface, or tear off parts of their body in their struggles to escape.
During tuna fishing, fishermen have found that tuna swim beneath dolphins in great numbers so they get caught when nets are deployed to catch tuna. Though the surviving dolphins are released, it’s estimated that a minimum of 30 million dolphins have been killed in this way since observations began in the 1960s



Dolphins don’t worry a lot about being eaten. They're only "real" predator is the sharks of the oceans. Dolphin parts have been found in the bellies of killer whales, who will eat just about anything. Sometimes, dolphins are killed not because they are a source of food, but because they prey on the same fish species as humans. Therefore, many fishermen have killed dolphins because they think dolphins will ruin their catch.



http://www.dolphins-world.com/dolphin-predators/

Dolphin Feeding

Dolphins live in saltwater but they can also live in freshwater locations. Only a handful of the species though are known to thrive in freshwater regions. They tend to stick to the shallow areas of the water found along the continental shelves.

Dolphin Feeding

Dolphins spend plenty of time finding food daily. They can consume up to 30 pounds of fish per day as adults. They have the ability to use a variety of different feeding techniques that have proven to help them in a variety of settings. In addition to dining on fish, squid is popular.
Experts believe that the process of migrating is often connected with finding enough food. Dolphins will move long distances in order to find enough food at various times. If they have enough food though where they reside and the temperature of the water is also acceptable they aren’t going to migrate.
Herding is one of the most common methods of feeding that the dolphins use. This involves a pod working as a unit to get the school of fish to curl up into a tight ball. Then the dolphins will take turns to rush though and plow the center of that ball, eating all they can in the process. The fish are stunned so they are easier to get this way. Some dolphins have been seen driving prey into the muddy banks so that they can easily access them.
There are certain species of dolphins that will use their flukes too in order to stun their prey. They will hit them hard and then while they are still disoriented they will feed on them. What is very interesting too is that in some locations the dolphins have learned behavior to help the fishermen drive the fish into their nets. The payoff for the dolphins is that they get to feed on the leftover fish that get out of the nets.
There are those dolphins that do take part in individualized hunting. They may be in small subgroups too of just a few dolphins. They have to move in various directions in order to make sure they can get food. It looks uncoordinated and unorganized. Sometimes, group random feeding also occurs with such chaos.
However, most of the time group random feeding does have some direction to it. There are several subgroups of individuals and they create a very cohesive overall strategy to get the food with ease. By going in opposite directions, the prey can become confused and has very little chance of escaping.
The concept of front cooperative feeding involve driving the schools of fish to the shallow areas of the water. Sometimes, this is to the coast or it could be to some type of barrier or even a subgroup of the dolphins. Circular cooperative feeding has been observed with the larger pods of dolphins. They divide into subgroups and then form circles and take part in rapid diving. They will surround schools of fish this way and continue to reduce the overall size of that circle before they take part in consuming what they have surrounded.
Something very similar is the crossing cooperative feeding. This involves the dolphins moving in a cross pattern with groups of them swimming different directions. This allows the fish to be in the middle of the routes that the dolphins have created. Such a strategy usually is a good one to use around the rocky shores and in the shallow areas of small bays.
The use of a zig zag cooperative feeding is more strategic but it can help to get the food with less energy by the dolphins. This type of feeding effort isn’t seen very often though. It usually occurs with very cohesive movements with the dolphins all moving in the same direction and then quickly switching and moving back the other way with a distance of about 100 meters for the zig zag pattern.
Dolphins are very intelligent, so they have the option to create different methods that fit their feeding needs. They have been seen mixing two or more of the mentioned feeding strategies into one session to get results. The ability to create such variations with ease and to create new formations is very interesting to observe. The level of cooperation it takes among the dolphins in the pod is also noted.
Some behaviors seem to be more evident in a given pod than others when it comes to feeding. Part of this stems from the strategies that they have learned work very well in that given location. However, it is also the result of the older dolphins teaching these feeding methods to the newer members of the pod over time.
What may surprise you is that dolphins don’t use their teeth to eat their food. They have 100 teeth but that allows them to grasp food. They swallow their meals so they must consume food that isn’t too large. They have two stomachs like a cow – with one for storing food is first and then food moves to the second one for digestion to take place.


Dolphins spend majority of their day finding food. Dolphins will travel long distances in order to find enough food. Herding is the most common feeding method that the dolphins use. This involves a pod working together to get fish to curl up into a tight ball. Then the dolphins will take turns to rush though and eat all they can in the process.

http://www.dolphins-world.com/dolphin-feeding/

Dolphin Social Structure

 

Dolphin Social Structure

Many researchers agree that dolphins are extremely social creatures and actually depend on this interaction for hunting, mating and defending themselves and their pods.
Typically, dolphins live and travel in groups ranging from 2-40 dolphins. But scientists have found dolphin pods as large as several hundred members.
These groups are actually called herds or schools. In some cases, these larger groups have been to known to include more than one species that seem to interact well together.
The species that usually associate in this multi-species group are the Spinner and the Spotted Dolphins. As the feeding habits of these two species are quite the opposite, they are able to travel together without competing for food.

Lasting Relationships

Most experts believe that the social relationships formed by dolphins are actually long lasting and it has been reported that when dolphins meet other pods or groups, they often engage in a sort of greeting ceremony that suggests they are renewing old relationships.
While large groups of dolphins usually have a varied mix of age and sex, the smaller pods tend to be made up of either a single adult, male and female, a group of females and their young or a group of adult and young males. Males are dominant in all groups but there is no evidence of strong social bonds between males and females.
A common example of social interaction and high intelligence, is the constant play that dolphins seem to engage in. Scientists report that juvenile and adult dolphins often chase each other and toss items such as seaweed back and forth.

Day to day Relationships

Dolphins often have close body contact with other dolphins through rubbing, petting, and even hitting each other. Dolphins often swim extremely close to each other, often resting fins on the other dolphin. Scientists

 

 

Another way that scientists identify social interactions between dolphins is by their behavior. When aggressive, dolphins tend to approach from a direct or perpendicular line. When the approach is non-threatening, a dolphin usually comes from behind or in an oblique angle.

Communication, the ground for socialization

Dolphins communicate with their pods and large groups usually through whistles. Many scientists and dolphin researchers believe that each individual dolphin actually has a unique whistle that identifies him to other members of his pod or group.
Dolphins in distress seem to use a special whistle that indicates help is needed. The pod or group usually responds quickly.

Social activity beyond limits

While we seem to expect that dolphins should be socially involved only with their own kind, the dolphins’ interest in interacting with humans is clear.
In the wild, dolphins are extremely curious and they will often engage in contact with humans if a chance comes up. In captivity, dolphins are very attached to the people they usually interact like trainers or researchers.
The developed intelligence of dolphins, their advanced capabilities to communicate combined with their need for social interaction make dolphins a unique animal in the nature





Dolphins have various ways of communacating. Dolphins communicate by close body contact. They rub, pet and even hit one another. They may also rub eachothers fins, known as a handshake. Some may swin extremely close to each other. Scientist     Dolphins communicate in their pod usually through whistles. Reseachers believe that each dolphin has their own unique whistle that identifies them. Due to researchers, dolphins can get very attached to humans. They love to interact with the trainers and learn tricks.

http://www.dolphins-world.com/dolphin-social-structure/