Bottle+Nose+Dolphin

[[image:http://thundafunda.com/33/underwater-animals-fish/Introduction,%20Bottlenose%20Dolphin%20pictures%20underwater%20photos.jpg width="321" height="211" align="right"]]
__**Quick Facts:**__ ~ Marine Mammal ~ Swims in groups called Pods ~ Mainly eat Forage Fish ~ Can find them at Sea World (And of course in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean)

__Basic Statistics__
//Tursiops truncatus//

[[image:bottlenose-dolphins.jpg width="281" height="190" align="right" caption="Bottlenose Dolphins can jump anywhere from 15 to 30 ft above water."]]
**Family: Delphinidae** ​ Dolphins and their family are most related to the Delphinidae (Marine Mammal) family. (Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises) (toothed cetaceans)
 * Order: Cetacea **
 * Suborder: Odontoceti **

__Ecology__
Bottlenose Dolphins are known to eat Forage Fish. Bottlenose Dolphins are primarily consumers; eating mostly fish they also intake squids and other crustaceans. An adult size dolphin can consume between 15 and 30 pounds of food each day. They feeding habits primarily involve individual prey capture (making them carnivores).

//**~**// //**Relation to other Species~**// - Male dolphins can behave aggressively.This is usually them fighting for rank and access to females. The dolphins usually display aggression towards sharks and some killer whales. media type="youtube" key="GjuW6xODzw4" height="227" width="384" align="right" The Bottlenose can can form mixed-species with other species from the dolphin family. (i.e. Short-pinned Pilot Whale, Risso's Dolphin and the False Killer Whale). //**~**// //**Predators~**// The Tiger Shark, the Dusky Shark and other large shark species are typically the Bottlenose Dolphin's main predator. However, it is very dangerous for a shark of the same size to try to attack a Bottlenose. Bottlenose dolphins either use complex evasive strategies to out swim their predators or mobbing techniques to batter the predator to death or force it to flee.

//***Species Environment Place***// The Bottlenose Dolphin has a variety of habitats; in which they range from coastal waters to the open ocean. They live in a Marine biome. They are two known categories in which scientists look at the dolphins: "Coastal and Offshore". The coastal dolphins are use to shallow and warm water. These dolphins are frequents of bays, harbors and lagoons. The offshore dolphins tend to go for the cooler and deeper waters. The larger the body, the more heat the dolphin can hold within itself; giving it more ability to dive deeper. Dolphins in the Pacific Ocean are likely to be found from Northern Japan all the way to Southern California and even Chile. The dolphins in the Atlantic Ocean can be found from Nova Scotia to Norway and even the tip of South Africa.

= __Physiology__ =

//**~Anatomical Structure~**// Bottlenose Dolphins can range from 6.6. feet to even 12.8 feet. Their weight can go from 331 pounds to even 442; but that doesn't mean that Bottlenose Dolphins can't get any bigger. They can get as big as 1,430 pounds. The coastal Bottlenose Dolphins primarily weigh less than the offshore ones. Bottlenose Dolphins usually have short and stubby beak. They have a blowhole on the top of their head that resembles the nostrils of humans. Their bodies are usually a light or slate gray and their stomachs tend to be a pinkish gray color. It's quite flexible in its neck and they have 18-26 sharp pairs of teeth. The Bottlenose Dolphin has a lobe on its tail called a "fluke". Each fluke are broad and curved with a medium notch. The dolphins flippers are medium length. The dorsal fin of the dolphin is often curved back; this curve is to help the dolphin maintain a balance as it swims; however it is not essential. The Dolphin's eyesight is sharp, located at the side of its head, the dolphins have the ability to "pooch" out their eyes to gain a better peripheral vision. Yet, these dolphins also have binocular vision; in which both eyes see the same thing. Now the dolphins sense of smell is not all that great. Due to the blowhole being open the analogue that connects to the Dolphin's nose is closed, and only opens when breathing underwater. //**~Reproduction~**// The age of reproduction for the Bottlenose Dolphin is based off where it is located and whether it is male or female. Though the dolphins can breed at any time, breeding seasons often vary based off of location, as well. Located underside their bodies, both male and female dolphins have genital slits. The males have the ability to retract and hide it's penis through its slit, while the females slit is home to its vagina and anus. The Dolphins can have numerous amounts of mates during breeding season. Breeding season can often bring changes to the male dolphins bodies. Their testes get bigger, they're able to hold more sperm and their sperm concentration rapidly increases. When a female Bottlenose is pregnant her gestation period last, on average, about 12 months., Births can happen at almost any time of the year. Young are usually born in shallow water, because they are JUST starting out. To speed up the nursing mothers eject milk from their mammary glands; calfs usually "suckle" or breastfeed for about 18 to 20months. Most Bottlenose Dolphins can live up to 20 years or less. Research has shown that dolphins can live into their 40s (This would be about a human living to be about 100). Some female dolphins have even lived to be in their 50s, but it is not common.

=__ Endangerment/Conservation __=

Bottlenose Dolphins are protected by the MMPA, which is the Marine Mammal Protection. There are still a plentiful amount of dolphins around seeing as how they are the most common, but are near depletion in some areas. There are a few cases of incidental and direct exploitation of the Bottlenose Dolphins, but normally it has been at a low to moderate level. The capturing of the dolphins for captivity have had effects on some of its population. Things such as getting caught in fishing gear, shrimp trawls and purse seiners has caused these dolphins to be victims of also harpoons and fisheries. Nevertheless, Bottlenose Dolphins are a still an active breed in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean.

=**// Citation //**= Maurizio Wurtz and Nadia Repetto. __Dolphins and Whales: Biological Guide to the Life of the Cetaceans.__ White Star Publisher, 2009 Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Ph.D. and Toni Frohoff, Ph.D. __Dolphin Mysteries: Unlocking the Secrets of Communication__ Penguin Group Publisher, 2008 SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database. 2002 Busch Entertainment Corporation. Bottle Nose Dolphin