Dolphin Adventure in Puerto Vallarta Mexico has dolphin research and training programs to help us learn a little more about the Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins physiology and environment.
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| General Dolphin Information | |
CREATING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING...
The following information is designed to help you learn a little more about Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins and give you a deeper understanding of the dolphins' physiology and environment. We hope that this knowledge will lead you to an increased appreciation and respect for these wonderful creatures. See our Dolphin FAQs HERE. |
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ABOUT OUR DOLPHINS...
Dolphins are warm blooded, air-breathing mammals that inhabit temperate and tropical waters throughout the world. They belong to the group of toothed whales whose scientific name is odontocetes. Pacific bottlenose dolphins can grow to be up to 10 feet long and weigh from 300-650 pounds. They have a sleek, streamlined body with forelimbs, called pectoral flippers, that they use to steer, and flukes (lobes of the tail) that they use to propel themselves forward. In general, the color of Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins is a nondescript gray on the back fading to white on the belly and lower jaw. This coloration, a type of camouflage known as countershading, helps conceal a dolphin from predators and prey. |
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DOLPHIN FAMILIES...
The mother-child relationship is the primary relationship of the dolphin. After a pregnancy that lasts approximately 12 months, dolphins give birth to a single calf weighing 25 to 40 pounds. Dolphin nurse their young from nipples concealed in abdominal mammary slits. Observations show that nursing usually begins within six hours of birth and the calf will nurse as often as four times per hour throughout the day, but each nursing instance usually lasts only about five to ten seconds. A calf may nurse for up to 18 months, but begin to take a few fish at about three to four months when their teeth begin to erupt. The dolphin calves remain with their mothers for the first five to eight years in a coherent long-term social unit called a pod. A pod is comprised of an extended mother-calf family group that travels together and it is within these pods that the calves learn social and feeding skills.
Click HERE to meet our Family of Dolphins | | |
| Our Dolphin Research Program | |
ONE BIG FAMILY...
At Dolphin Adventure, a colony of Pacific bottlenose dolphins and the people that care for them are creating a greater understanding and appreciation of marine mammals and the environment we share. Our dolphin research and training program are based on respect, patience and affection, as the dolphins' well being is our primary concern. The trainers and staff at Dolphin Adventure are highly qualified with many years of experience and we understand that each animal is different and should be treated as an individual. From the very start of their training, our dolphins are made to feel confident and safe through positive reinforcement, which establishes a relaxed and easy relationships with the trainers and helps the dolphins to stay in good health. |
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KEEPING OUR DOLPHINS HEALTHY...
One of the most important aspects of our program is the "medical training" which involves teaching the dolphins to allow our medical staff to take necessary samples without unnecessary handlings. After a great many hours of work, the relationship achieved is one of mutual understanding. We train our dolphins to assist us in the medical examinations by voluntarily presenting their flukes for blood collection and analysis, opening their mouths for insertion of an endoscope - which allows us to examine the interior of their bodies - and even giving us urine samples. The medical data collected from these tests help us with various research projects. These tests have contributed to the success of our breeding program and we have had excellent results, having successfully bred several of our dolphins. In May 2001 a new addition was made to our family at Dolphin Adventure: Nuba. She has added a special excitement and joy to the Dolphin Center, which makes not only her parents very proud but also all of those involved at Dolphin Adventure! | | |
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