Every year on April 14, SeaWorld and other organizations treat their dolphins to a celebration and entertain park guests with fun facts.
It’s #NationalDolphinDay a time to celebrate these amazingly intelligent cetaceans. 🐬
We’re proud to care for these wonderful marine animals and the 530+ who have needed SeaWorld’s rescue and rehabilitation support. Learn more about our commitment here: https://t.co/1e7GQxmdGgpic.twitter.com/J09qH5l9dw
There are approximately 42 species of dolphins, three of which find a home at SeaWorld San Antonio… bottlenose dolphins, Pacific white-sided dolphins, and orcas (yes, orcas are actually the largest species of dolphins!).
Dolphins are indeed a type of whale, but not all whales are dolphins.
Porpoises and dolphins are a different species of whales. Dolphins have cone-shaped teeth, while porpoises have spade-shaped teeth.
Dolphins create a variety of vocalizations such as clicks, whistles and squeals which they use for their well-developed communication and echolocation skills.
Dolphins are mammals and possess the five characteristics of mammals… having hair, breathing air, giving live birth, nursing their young —underwater at that— and being warm-blooded.
Bottlenose dolphin at SeaWorld’s Discovery Point.
Guests at SeaWorld San Antonio can see bottlenose dolphins at SeaWorld’s Discovery Point, Pacific white-sided dolphins in the Ocean Discovery presentations, and orcas in the Orca Encounter presentation.
You can see some of the park’s pod of dolphins in the video player above.
Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. He's a graduate of Texas State University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The University Star.