Bottlenose Dolphin for Kids Ages 6-8

Bottlenose Dolphin

A bottlenose dolphin shares its story, explaining that it's a mammal that breathes air. The dolphin describes living in a family group called a pod, communicating with a unique 'signature whistle,' and using a superpower called echolocation to hunt for fish. It also mentions a special trick some dolphins learned around 1984, using sea sponges as tools. The dolphin concludes by explaining its important role in keeping the ocean ecosystem balanced.

First Described c. 1821

Echolocation Confirmed c. 1956

Signature Whistle Research c. 1965

A Dolphin's Tale

Hello from the ocean! My name is Echo, and I am a bottlenose dolphin. You might think I’m a fish because I live in the water, but I'm actually a mammal, just like you. That means I can't breathe underwater. I have to swim to the surface to take a big breath of fresh air through a special hole on top of my head called a blowhole. My skin is smooth and gray, which helps me glide through the water super fast. I also have a mouth that is shaped into a friendly, built-in smile. When I was born, I came into a world of warm, blue water. I didn't know how to do much, but my mom was always right by my side. I stuck close to her, and she taught me everything I needed to know, like how to find food and swim safely in our big ocean home.

I don’t live by myself. I live with my family in a group called a pod. Living in a pod is so much fun because we are very social and love to be together. We play, hunt, and travel as a team, always looking out for one another. We have our own special language to talk to each other. It’s not made of words like yours, but of clicks, whistles, and squeaks. Every sound means something different. The most amazing part is that each one of us has a unique whistle that is all our own. It's called a 'signature whistle,' and it works just like a name. When my mom or friends in my pod want to find me, they call out my special whistle, and I know they are looking for me. It's our way of saying, 'Hey, where are you?' across the wide ocean.

We dolphins are very clever, and we love to have fun. One of my favorite things to do is leap high out of the water and splash back down. It feels like flying for a second. I also love to surf in the big waves that roll toward the shore. Besides being playful, I am also a smart hunter. I have a superpower called echolocation, which is like seeing with sound. I send out little clicking noises from my head. These clicks travel through the water and bounce off of things around me, like rocks or my favorite foods—fish and squid. The sounds come back to me as echoes, and by listening to them, I can make a picture in my mind of what’s ahead, even in dark water. Some of my relatives are extra clever. Around 1984, some of them learned a special trick to use sea sponges as tools to protect their noses while digging for food on the seafloor.

My life in the ocean is an adventure, but I also have a very important job. As a predator, I hunt fish and squid, which helps keep the number of these animals just right. When I do this, I help make sure that no single type of sea creature becomes too common. This keeps the whole ocean ecosystem healthy and in balance, from the tiniest plankton to the biggest whales. I love my beautiful ocean home, and it’s a big job for all of us to share in keeping it clean and safe. When the ocean is healthy, it means a happy home for me and all of my friends who live here.