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| Dolphins are small whales. Although they never leave the sea they are mammals. They breathe air and are warm-blooded. They have sharp teeth and their heads end in beaklike mouths. Because the dolphin is a friendly creature, it has been well know since ancient times. Dolphins are intelligent and communicate with each other by means of whistles and clicks called echolocation.
In one day dolphins eat a huge amount of food, mostly fish and squid. Dolphins have from 100 to 260 sharp teeth. Dolphins, like whales, breathe through a blowhole at the top of the head. The organ on the top of their head is called a melon. Common dolphins are the smallest type of dolphin ranging from about 5ft to about 8ft. The bottlenose dolphin range from about 6.5ft to 12ft long. A dolphin lives for about 25 years. Dolphins are hunted for meat, oil and fertiliser. In China and Japan thousands of dolphins have been killed annually. |
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There are about 32 types of dolphins. Both bottle-nosed dolphins and common dolphins
appear in open waters. 
