Unlike fish, 

 dolphins and whales 

 must periodically rise 

 to the surface for 

 a dose of oxygen. 

 Fish can extract oxygen 

 from water through gills, 

 but cetaceans have lungs. 



Through the blowhole 

 on the top of their heads, 

 they expel an audible cloud 

 of steam and quickly 

 inhale fresh air. 



blowhole on the top of their heads, 

 they expel an audible cloud of steam 

 and quickly inhale fresh air. 



Some bottlenose dolphins are 

 residents of North Carolina's waters; 

 others pass through during seasonal 

 migrations. The meeting of the 

 Labrador and Gulf Stream currents 

 along the state's coast encourages an 

 influx of pods from the north and 

 south. These currents mix to create a 

 rich oceanic food supply. Estuaries are 

 also rich in food. Many dolphins 

 consume mullet and other fish in the 

 state's sounds. 



In temperate regions, such as 

 North Carolina, bottlenose dolphins 

 are classified into two geographical 

 groups: coastal and offshore. Coastal 

 dolphins can be found year-round, 

 although fall is the harbinger of a 

 dolphin influx. 



"In early October along the Outer 

 Banks, if you're there on the right day, 

 you can see dolphins going by all day 

 long," says David Lee, curator at the 

 N.C. State Museum of Natural 

 Sciences. 



If you're dolphin watching, it may 

 be possible to identify several com- 

 mon behaviors, says Andy Wood, 

 curator of education at the N.C. 

 Aquarium at Fort Fisher. He describes 

 bottlenose dolphins as playful crea- 



Researchers do acoustical testing on a bottlenose dolphin. 



tures, although less so in their natural 

 habitat than portrayed by the media. 



"The television show 'Flipper' 

 was glorified dolphin behavior," he 

 says. 



• Porpoising. This term refers to 

 a method dolphins use to hunt as a 

 pack. Dolphins come to the surface in 

 a circular pattern at rapid rates of 

 speed. By encircling groups of fish, 

 the dolphins corral them and then take 

 turns feeding. 



• Jumping. Dolphins often leap 

 into the air and land with a loud slap 

 on the water. This could be a form of 

 play or the dolphin "may be trying to 

 get a look around and see what's 



going on," says Wood. It's also 

 possible that the loud slapping noise is 

 a form of communication. 



• Tail flips. With the strength and 

 finesse to leap up to 10 feet out of the 

 water, dolphins often punctuate a dive 

 with an acrobatic flip of the tail. 



• Spinning. Spinner dolphins are 

 aptly named for this feat — spectacu- 

 lar spins that propel them upright on 

 the axis of their tails. 



• Surfing. Called "nature's 

 bodysurfers," bottlenose dolphins can 

 sometimes be seen surfing the waves 

 and wakes on their slick, streamlined 

 bellies. 



Continued 



COASTWATCH 1 1 



