(Entry 1 of 2) 1: Any member of a family (Phocoenidae) of small, sociable toothed whales, specifically: a generally dark gray blunt-nosed whale (Phocoena phocoena) of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, typically measuring 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1 .8 meters) long.
Are dolphins the same as porpoises?
Dolphins typically have distinctive, elongated “beaks” and cone-shaped teeth, while porpoises have smaller mouths and spade-shaped teeth. … In general, dolphins are slimmer and porpoises are more corpulent. Dolphins are also more talkative than porpoises.
What is another name for a porpoise?
< tr >
| whale | beluga |
|---|---|
| dolphin | grampus |
| mammal | narwhal |
| killer whale | whale |
| cete | cete |
Is a porpoise a fish?
Although they both live in the sea, neither dolphins nor porpoises are fish! Like all mammals, they have lungs instead of gills, so they breathe air. … Dolphins and porpoises are also both members of the same scientific suborder, Odontoceti, to which all toothed whales belong.
Are porpoises friendly to people?
Porpoises are mostly shy animals. They don’t often approach people or boats. … The dolphin is often seen rather than the porpoise in marine animal shows, possibly related to the notion that dolphins tend to show less fear of humans than porpoises.
Do dolphins kill porpoises?
Bottlenose dolphins have been documented to be aggressive toward harbor porpoises since the late 1990s. Scientists first noticed the behavior off the coast of Scotland, where dolphins attacked porpoises, breaking bones and damaging their internal organs.
Are porpoises dangerous?
Threats to harbor porpoises In 2006, a large group of scientists conducted autopsies to determine the cause of death of stranded harbor porpoises. The results showed that more than half of the animals died by drowning. Most likely they got tangled in fishing nets from gills, tramples and standing rigging.
Has a dolphin ever killed a human?
This week a 10-year-old British girl was attacked by captive dolphins during a dolphin swim experience provided by travel giant TUI. … Dolphins in swimming attractions have been known to seriously injure people by hitting them. The resulting injuries include lacerations and broken bones.
Has a dolphin ever eaten a human?
No, dolphins don’t eat people. … Although the killer whale is called “killer whale”, it actually belongs to the dolphin family. This marine mammal gets its name from its size (killer whales can range from 15 to 30 feet in length) and diet.