How many dolphins are there in the Black Sea?
Perhaps this is one of the most favorite questions that we are asked by visitors. There are three species of dolphins living in the Black Sea, all belonging to the order of cetaceans. Let’s take a closer look at each species, their life features, and behavior.
1. Bottlenose dolphins – the largest species of Black Sea dolphins. They reach up to 3 meters in length and weigh more than 100 kg. They are excellently trainable and can often be found in the dolphinariums of Sochi, Anapa, and Gelendzhik. These amazing creatures can jump through a trainer's hoop, sing and dance to music, play various games, throw balls, and even give rides to children and adults. In open water, Bottlenose dolphins can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. They prefer to live within one area, not changing their familiar territory. They love anchovies and flounder. A calf is born alive after a 12-month pregnancy, breathing, and not from an egg, as some might think. The birth process itself is an amazing phenomenon and lasts from 20 minutes to 2 hours. The calf immediately searches for the mother's nipples and feeds on milk every 10 - 20 minutes, flipping the mother on her side.
Interesting to know!
Dolphins live in large families – pods, where the largest female is the leader. Although they behave very tamely and friendly towards humans, in the wild, they possess immense physical strength. A pod of dolphins can break apart sharks – their eternal enemies – with the strongest tail strikes.
Their brain significantly exceeds the human brain in size, weight, and number of convolutions. When alone, they remain silent, but as soon as they gather in a pod, you can hear a conversation in a language of whistles, squeaks, clicks, and grinds. They distinguish 186 different whistles, expressing all kinds of emotions: greetings, pain, anxiety, and others. Their common lexicon contains about 1400 different words, if you can call it that. Whistles are emitted at very high sound frequencies, inaccessible to human ears. No other animal can boast of anything like that.
2. White-beaked dolphins – medium-sized dolphins, measuring no more than 2.5 meters in length and weighing up to 60 kg. They can be called one of the most toothy mammals, with 210 teeth. By their coloration, one can easily determine the age of the individual. The brighter, more contrasting, and sharper the patterns, the older the dolphin. Pregnancy lasts 12 months, and after the baby is born, it is pushed to the surface for its first breath. The calf is born tail-first to avoid suffocation during birth, which lasts up to two hours. This is a ritual in which several more experienced females participate. In adulthood, they live in pods of up to 100 dolphins for up to 35 years. They are not gourmets, and their daily diet is not limited to herring or cod. They will also eat squid and octopus. It is the White-beaked dolphins that often playfully jump out of the water, accompanying yachts and boats during a sea cruise, and sometimes approach the shore.
Interesting to know!
Dolphins do not have a sense of smell, but in exchange, nature has endowed them with sharp vision and hearing. Their excellent sonar system allows them to detect prey from up to 3 km away, and they can dive for it to a depth of up to 300 meters. Like us, they breathe atmospheric air, periodically surfacing to breathe. Like all living creatures, they sleep at night, suspended in the water and hanging their tails. During sleep, their brain's hemispheres take turns resting. This may happen because they need to rise to the surface to breathe periodically. At night, they occasionally close and open their eyes during sleep.
3. Sea pigs (also called Chumki or Azov dolphins) – the smallest species, reaching no more than 1.5 meters in length and weighing almost 30 kg. They are quite picky, preferring to spend the summer in the warm Azov Sea and the winter in the deeper Black Sea. A characteristic feature of this species is the lack of a beak, a triangular fin, and a more rounded, heavier body shape. Azov dolphins are true gourmets. If they had the chance, they would exclusively feed on anchovies, eating up to 15 kg of fish per day. When fishermen encounter an Azov dolphin, they know for sure that there is a school of anchovies nearby. They live shorter than Bottlenose dolphins and, upon reaching 15-18 years of age, they are considered long-lived. They prefer shallow waters and small pods of up to 10 individuals. The Azov dolphin does not leap out of the water like its relatives, and stays away from watercraft.
No matter which dolphin you encounter in the sea, be prepared for the fact that meeting them might bring tears of happiness. This phenomenon remains unsolved by scientists. Apparently, it’s due to the powerful, positive, energetic influence of the dolphin on humans.
TOP-5 Interesting Facts:
- From the Greek language, the word "delphos" translates as "brother." Indeed, the dolphin is a true friend of humans.
- When born, the calf feeds on its mother's milk and follows her around 24/7, not letting her sleep at night.
- Dolphins can cure many human ailments. Often, children suffering from autism, ADHD, and attention deficit disorder feel much better after interacting with these sea healers.
- Our sea friends can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes, and at birth, they take their first breath of air.
- Each dolphin is given a name by its mother at birth.
When can you see a dolphin in the sea?
The best time is early in the morning at dawn. If you want to give yourself and your children a treat, rent a yacht or boat and head out to sea around 7 - 8 AM. At this time, the sea is still cool, and the dolphins begin their morning games. Leaping out of the water and swimming close to the yacht, they express joy as if they are children. Be sure to bring a camera or video camera. Stunningly beautiful photos are guaranteed.
Come to the coast of the Krasnodar region and experience the feeling of true human happiness from meeting dolphins!
