By GABRIELLA MADOK | Junior Reporter
Dolphins are amazing creatures—there are at least more than 30 species in the world.
There have been many stories of dolphins saving humans lives. For example, someone will fall off a boat and a dolphin will swim by; the person will grab on to the creature’s back and it will swim them to shore.
Some people think it isn’t good for water mammals to be held in captivity. The truth is they live longer in captivity.
I learned at the dolphin research center in Key West, Florida, that when a hurricane comes, they open the doors to the pens, allowing the dolphins to swim into the ocean. As the hurricane is over, the dolphins all come back to their pens. The reason is the animals like it better in captivity because they get fed and they don’t have to catch to eat.
Another amazing thing about dolphins is that they don’t have very good eyesight, but they get around quickly. The reason is they use something called “echolocation” where they send waves of sound and it bounces off an object. When it hits the dolphin, it tells it if there is danger, objects or food.
Dolphins are some of the smartest animals—they can be trained easily and are very friendly.
Here are some photos from my adventures with dolphins.
(Editor’s note: What a fun piece from our junior reporter. But it’s worth noting that the Whale and Dolphin Conservation organization suggests dolphins live shorter lives in captivity, and we don’t recommend touching any wild animal—on land or in water.)
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