It can cause harm and long term impact to whales, dolphins and porpoises and of course, their home, the wider marine environment. Experiences such as swim with dolphins programs, dolphin therapy and dolphin shows may be promoted as educational or fun, but in reality they are forms of exploitation. All our conservation efforts in the Amazon aim to protect the local wildlife, rainforests, and freshwater habitats. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Marine mammals | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. This cookie is set by Microsoft to recognize unique web browsers that visit Microsoft sites. With all things aside, one of the most amazing things about dolphins are their sense of empathy, altruism, and attachment. Dolphin pregnancies range in length from 11 to 17 months. But octopuses prove you don't need a backbone to have a big brain. Other disturbances at sea oil and gas extraction, seismic surveys, pollution etc can directly affect dolphins health, as well as damaging the ocean environment in general. Humans have long been fascinated with dolphins, but the relationship between humans and dolphins has been complex. Make sure to read the labels on your pets food, and to extend sustainable seafood practices to your pets diet. For example, we know that whales are sensitive to shipping noise, so what potential impact could a new deep water port have on mothers and their calves? The mother immediately brings her infant to the surface so it can breathe. Whales and the plastics problem | Stories | WWF - World Wildlife Fund Similar to some ocean dolphin species, river dolphins also face the threat of becoming extinct. LinkedIn sets this cookie from LinkedIn share buttons and ad tags to recognize browser ID. There are over 70 different species of cetacean. Take the pledge NOT to buy a ticket! How do they know which way is North? Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Find even more resources onmarine mammalsinour searchable resource database. Credit: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center/Lisa Morse. And when they bob up their smiling heads with their beak-like snout and show off some awesome water flips, they instantly win the hearts of many onlookers. Dolphins are small-toothed Cetaceans, a group of marine mammals that evolved from land mammals. Be aware of authorities and governmental figures with jurisdiction over your area.