Because dolphins breathe atmospheric air, they cannot afford long periods of sleep underwater. They have adapted to aquatic life by taking 15-20 minute naps during which only one hemisphere of the brain sleeps. During this nap, the dolphin can swim, breathe and look out for danger. ¹⁾

Dolphins use echolocation and this is how they find their way in the surrounding environment. By emitting high-frequency sounds, they listen for the echoes that come back to them and build a “map” of the space based on these sounds. They also use echolocation to find food and hunt. ²⁾

Dolphins hunt in packs and feed on fish, squid, and shellfish. ³⁾

Orcas are the largest natural enemies of dolphins. Although they themselves belong to the dolphin family, this does not stop them from hunting their smaller cousins. ⁴⁾

Dolphins communicate both verbally and non-verbally. They can communicate through their tail movements, the way they swim, or the way they strike certain poses. In addition, they have a rich language consisting of special high-frequency clicks and whistles. By means of sounds, they can inform each other of danger, show their emotional state or call younger, unruly dolphins to order. ⁵⁾