The Dolphin

Dolphins are mammals that live underwater. There are at least 41 diffrent species of dolphins, including the bottlenose dolphin, the atlantic white, and the spinner dolphin.

Baby dolphins, called calves, are born tail-first. They are one of the only mammals to do this regularly. Dolphins have one baby at a time, and occasionally twins. the gestation period is about 11 months. When a dolphin is having a baby, another dolphin will help, acting as a midwife. Babies are born underwater, and the mother pushes the baby up when it is born, to help it get it's first breath.

Dolphins eat fish, squids, and crustaceans like shrimp. They eat 5% of their body weight daily, and they swallow food whole, without bothering to chew.

Dolphins breath through a blowhole on top of their heads. This hole extends to their lungs. The area around the blowhole is the only place on a dolphin's body that there is hair, even though a dolphin is a mammal. The rest of the body is covered in blubber, which keeps a dolphin warm.





sources: http://www.dolphins-world.com/
http://www.acpathope.org/student%20sites%202009/Dolphin%20LRF/Unnamed%20Site%2012/reproduction.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002260F/DolphinsFood.htm

The American Alligator

There are two types of Alligators, the Chinese Alligator, and the American Alligator. The latter will be discussed here.

American Alligators are found in the southeast of the US. They live in watery climates like ponds, rivers, and marshes.

Alligators eat all sorts of animals, like birds, fish, turtles, and mammals, but to name a few. Hatchlings eat invertebrates, then slowly progress into the adult diet.

Alligators have 20-60 eggs, which are put in a nest made of grass and twigs. As the vegetation in the nest decays, it gives off heat which incubates the eggs. Though not all eggs hatch, due to predators and weather. Alligators live about 30-40 years in the wild, and longer in captivity.

You may have heard alligator and crocodile used interchangeably. But they are not the same. Alligators have a broad, wide snout, while a croc's is narrower. Also, crocodiles' teeth are still visible while their mouths are closed, but a gator's is not visible.

Did you know: Alligators do not have vocal chords. They can hiss, growl, and bellow; but they do not acctually have vocal chords.



sources: http://www.essortment.com/alligator-information-27452.html
http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/wildlife/alligators.html

The Manatee

Manatees are large aquatic mammals that are endangered. They are gentle herbivores, and consume 10-15% of their body weight daily.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Blue Springs State Park in Florida, where there is a hot spring. manatees love warm water, so they flock there during winter. Florida has an extremely large manatee population.

Manatees have a calf every 2-5 years or so. The gestation period (The time a baby is in the mom's belly) is about a year. Baby manatees nurse for 1-2 years.



sources: http://www.savethemanatee.org/manfcts.htm

The Cannonball Jellyfish

We recently were on the beach in FL, and I noticed that there were a lot of jellyfish washed up on the shore.
I've identified one as a Cannonball jellyfish. Here's some info about it:


Stomolophus meleagris, the Cannonball Jellyfish.

Cannonballs live in warm waters like the Pacific Ocean and mid-west Atlantic, though they have been mainly found in the southern coast of the USA, like the Gulf Coast.

Cannonballs eat mainly zooplankton, like veligers and all forms of red drum larvae.

Of course, since they are jelly fish, Cannonballs have a toxin that, when disrupted, they secrete through nemotocysts in their tentacles to sting whatever unlucky creature happened to be in range. Though Cannonballs rarely sting humans, they have been known to cause cardiac damage when they do sting.

So remember: whether it's a Cannonball jellyfish, or any other type, do not touch it!! Even a jellyfish washed up on shore can still sting you. Be careful!


"What do sharks like for lunch?"

"I dunno. What do they like?"

"Peanut butter and jellyfish sandwiches!"

"Groan."


Source: Wikipedia