Are dolphins whales?

Dolphins are a widely distributed and diverse group of aquatic mammals. They are an informal grouping within the order Cetacea, excluding whales and porpoises, so to zoologists the grouping is paraphyletic. There are 40 extant species of dolphins. read more

Collectively, whales, dolphins and porpoises are known as cetaceans. Cetacean species are divided into two groups; (1) Baleen whales – these are the “great whales” and as their name suggests they all have baleen plates that are used to filter their food (which consists of plankton and small species of fish). read more

Although dolphins are widespread, most species prefer the warmer waters of the tropic zones, but some, like the right whale dolphin, prefer colder climates. Dolphins feed largely on fish and squid, but a few, like the killer whale, feed on large mammals, like seals. read more

Other toothed whales include sperm whales (the biggest), beaked whales, bottlenose whales, porpoises, beluga whales, narwhals, river dolphins, pygmy sperm whales, and dwarf sperm whales. Killer whales are in the same family as dolphins. read more

Dolphins and other toothed whales use a sense called echolocation to navigate and hunt underwater, in addition to having extremely good eyesight (except the river dolphins who are bordering on being blind). read more