A Few Fun Facts About Swimming With Dolphins

A Few Fun Facts About Swimming With Dolphins

Swimming with dolphins is a favorite vacation pastime for people all over the world. It allows you to enjoy an up-close experience with these most beloved, intelligent, gentle, and fascinating creatures. Review some fun facts about swimming with dolphins if the activity is on your vacation to-do list or you simply want to learn more.

They Are Fast Swimmers

The sight of dolphins speeding through the water is not an uncommon one. These marine mammals swim up to 20 miles an hour. They also love to dive.

Dolphins Are Very Friendly and Naturally Curious

These mammals are ideal to swim with because of their natural playfulness, friendliness, and curiosity. They can be seen playing with other animals in the wild and even “teasing them.” Their friendliness extends to the human world, and they sometimes enjoy being “pet” and receiving treats from humans. Dolphins may sometimes play with humans in the wild as well, and enjoy play-fighting and surfing.

They Have Delicate Skin

Dolphins have very delicate skin that easily breaks from contact with a hard surface. Luckily they heal quickly—even deep cuts heal in a short amount of time. However, this is important to remember when swimming with dolphins.

There Are Many Dolphin Species

More than 20 dolphin species exist in this world, including orcas, or killer whales. Despite the name, the orca is a type of dolphin. Bottlenose dolphins are the most commonly known species, but you might find yourself swimming with other members of the dolphin family. If you are swimming with dolphins at a facility, be sure to ask which species you are working with.

Dolphins Have Outstanding Eyesight and Hearing

Playing with dolphins will help you notice their amazing hearing ability and eyesight. They find the exact location of objects very quickly because of echolocation, so if you lose your goggles or other pieces of swim gear, your dolphin friend may be able to help you locate it.

The Mammals Thrive in Fresh as Well as Saltwater

There are four species of river dolphins, or dolphins who live in fresh water instead of saltwater. The pink Amazon River Dolphin is arguably the best-known river species, and has its own myth. This dolphin is said to take human form at night and visit young, pretty women in villages near the famous waterway. Sadly, the Chinese Yangtze Dolphin is believed to be extinct due to overfishing. As with saltwater dolphins, river dolphins are very social creatures who may be happy to swim with you.

Have you gone swimming with dolphins? What was your experience?