#DOLPHINS USE FISH HEADS SERIES#

Several dolphin species specialize in feeding on fish and squid from the DSL.ĭolphin: Generally this term applies to a smaller cetacean with teeth (also known as an odontocete). Each species of cetacean (whales, dolphins and porpoises) has distinct frequencies and patterns of clicks.Ĭompetitive group: A term usually used for humpback whales, referring to a group of three or more males engaged in aggressive interactions.Ĭountershading: a coloring pattern found in many species of whales and dolphins, in which the dorsal (upper) surface is darker than the ventral (lower) surface so that whether viewed from above or below, the whale appears evenly coloured and inconspicuous.ĭeep scattering layer: a layer of plankton and other small schooling fishes and sometimes squid that sinks to depths of more than 100m during the day and rises toward the surface at night.

#DOLPHINS USE FISH HEADS SERIES#

Baleen whales have two openings in their blowhole, while toothed whales have only one.īowride: When a whale or dolphin swims next to or in front of a vessel.īreaching: a leap out of the water, exposing the majority of a whale or dolphin’s body.īubble netting: process in which whales either singly or cooperatively blow a circle of bubbles from under water in order to create a wall or curtain of bubbles that traps small schooling fish and makes them easier to capture in a single lunging gulp through the centre of the bubble curtain.Ĭalf: a young whale or dolphin, usually referring only to those born in the past year.Ĭetacean: Whale, dolphin or porpoise from the Latin word Cetus marine mammal that lives entirely in the ocean.Ĭlan: Used predominantly to describe family groups of killer whales pods within a clan have probably descended from a common ancestral group and therefore are probably more closely related to each other than to pods from other clans.Ĭopepods : tiny planktonic crustaceans, usually free swimming in the ocean.Ĭlicking: a series of close-spaced, broad spectrum sounds, mainly at very high frequencies, made by toothed cetaceans (all dolphins and killer whales) when echolocating. During dives the blowhole is sealed by a nasal plug which is retracted by fast-acting muscles upon surfacing for breathing. It is also sometimes referred to as a spout- which gives the mistaken impression that it is predominantly expelled water.īlowhole : the modified nostril located on the top of a whale or dolphins head. For some species of whale this can be seen from many kilometers away.

Baleen whales include all of the large whales except killer whales and sperm whales, that have teeth more like those of dolphins.īlow: a cloud or column of moist air forcefully expelled through the blowhole when the whale surfaces to breath. This list has been adapted and expanded from the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Research Programmeīaleen: The bristle-like plates that hang from a whale’s upper jaw bone and are used to filter prey (usually small schooling fish or shrimp-like crustaceans) from the water. Searchable Database of Scientific Literature.Contributing to science and conservation.Questions you can ask when booking a tour.Stakeholder engagement and adaptive management.

The benefits and impacts of whale watching.

Dolphins use fish heads