Pink Dolphins

When undisturbed pink dolphins are slow swimmers, travelling at a speed of +/- 15km per hour. They are always found in small groups called pods, consisting up to 9 individual dolphins.
They communicate through sounds like clicks, moans, whistles and squeaks. Audible sounds are produced through their blowholes through vocalization. The dolphins use clicks for echolocation to navigate and detect prey and obstacles over 650 feet away.

Pink dolphins are polygamous animals, meaning that there is no bond between male and females. Male dolphins mature two to three years later than females, at approximately 12 to 14 years. A female dolphin may give birth to one calf every two to three years. Pregnancy of a female dolphin lasts between 11 and 12 months. The dolphin calf is usually delivered tail first, which prevents the calf from drowning during the birth. Once the calf is free from the mother it has to be assisted to the surface to take its first breath of air by its mother or another dolphin.

Milk feeding is usually done at the surface so that both the mother and the baby can breathe easily at intervals. Thick and rich milk is squirted into the mouth of the baby through the mothers nipple in her mammary slit.

A dolphin sleeps about 8 hours a day, just like humans. When it sleeps only half of the brain is passive at the time and it can be seen resting at the surface with one eye open. After some time it will close this eye and open the other, alternating between eyes during the nap.

A dolphin holds it's breath whilst under water, which means that they can hold their breath for a long time. A dolphins age can be estimated from counting the number of growth rings on its teeth very similar to those around trees. A dolphin can reach the age of about 30.

Each individual dolphin can be identified by its unique whistle, and even though the dolphin breathes through its blowhole it has no sense of smell. Dolphins use cooperative teamwork when hunting and when one of them gets ill the other will help it to the surface to breathe and look after it for hours, sometimes days.

The gender of dolphin can be determined by looking at the underbelly near the tail. Male and female dolphins both have one long slit housing the genital and anus while the female have two additional small mammary slits.