See wild dolphins in Florida!

Dolphins are playful and intelligent marine mammals.  They are very intriguing to watch!  There are over thirty species of dolphins worldwide.  There are several species of dolphin in Florida, the most common species of dolphin in Florida is the bottlenose dolphin. Bottlenose dolphins are typically about 6 to 12 feet long, and weigh 300 pounds to over 1,000 pounds.  Dolphins can live into their 50’s.  They are carnivorous, and can eat more than 20 pounds of a fish a day; they enjoy mullet, pinfish, flounder, sheepshead, and invertebrates such as squid.

Dolphins use echolocation (like bats) to “see” underwater and to find their food sources.  The clicking noises that dolphins make are part of how they use echolocation in the water.  The clicks are sound waves that hit an object, get bounced back to the dolphin to allow the dolphin to identify the size, shape, and location of an object.

Dolphins sleep in what is called uni-hemispheric slow-wave sleep.  When a dolphin needs to rest, it will shut down one hemisphere of its brain and close the opposite eye, and vice versa.  They have adopted this type of sleeping style for survival purposes.  They need to breathe while they are sleeping, and if they didn’t have part of their brain active then they would likely drown.  They are also able to stay alert enough even while resting to keep “an eye out” for danger.  This type of sleep enables dolphins muscles to exert while they are sleeping which helps regulate their body temperature if the water is cold as they are warm-blooded creatures.

The right time at the right place

Dolphins prefer warmer, tropical climates.  These magnificent creatures enjoy the typically warm water of the Gulf of Mexico.  They thrive best in temperatures 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit.  While dolphins do not have a migration pattern, they will seek warmer waters if it gets too cold.

Strict laws protect again harassing these creatures

Dolphins are not currently endangered, but Florida law strictly prohibits the feeding of or harassment of dolphins under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  You may not do anything to disrupt their natural behavior according to this law.

This law is to protect dolphins as well as humans.  Dolphins have been documented becoming  aggressive toward humans while they are feeding and/or protecting themselves or their young.  Also, as with any wild animal, we do not want them to associate humans with food, or become reliant on humans and incapable to catching their own food.

See Dolphins in the wild and learn about them in their natural habitat

If you are interested to learn more about dolphins and see them in the wild, we have the information you are looking for.

Dolphins often swim and feed in groups, called pods.  To see these exquisite creatures and other unique Florida wildlife, take a local dolphin tour.  Check out  Siesta Key Watersports
In addition to dolphins, you are likely to other sea animals such as tarpon, sting-rays, and/or sharks!  You will also enjoy lots of sea birds; such as seagulls, pelicans, ospreys, cranes, and bald eagles.

Check out dolphin tours; including morning cruises, afternoon cruises, and sunset cruises at Fun Boat Tours

Le Barge offers dolphin tours with a Mote marine biologist on board to answer all your questions.  Check out Le Barge

To swim with dolphins, it’s only about a 2-hour drive to Orlando’s Discovery Cove Dolphin Lagoon