Subject: Are ORCAS dolphins? Why orcas are called killer whales? Can we speak with dolphins? dolphin fight an

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HI Clarissa, how do you do?
Lets go to another row of questions...

Are ORCAS dolphins?

Yes, the Orcas are also Dolphins. They are the biggest species in the =
family Delphinidae. But what does that mean? You know, we scientists =
like to have everything organised (otherwise we make a big mess out of =
our work), so we classify all the organisms in several levels. This way =
we put organisms that are alike in the same groups. That is what happens =
with the cetaceans. All cetaceans are more related with each other than =
with any other mammal, and therefore they are grouped in a group called =
Order Cetacea. But insides that group the cetaceans with teeth are more =
related with each other than with the cetaceans with baleen, and are =
grouped in the Sub-Order Odontoceti, and in this group there are several =
groups called Families. One of these families is the Delphinidae, where =
between other species we find the Orca (the scientific name is Orcinus =
orca).=20

Confusing? Not!! It=92s like you and me. We both are Mammals (we belong =
in the same group), and we are also both Humans (we are still in the =
same group) but you are American and I am Portuguese (now we are in two =
different groups). Understand now?

Why orcas are called =93killer whales=94?
Now, why then are they called Killer whales? Actually they started being =
called by the old Spanish whalers, some centuries ago, =93Whale =
Killers=94 because they kill other cetaceans (including big whales). But =
in Spanish that is pronounced in the other way around: =93Matador de =
Ballenas=94, the first word meaning =93killer=94 and the second =
=93whales=94. When that was translated into English someone forgot to =
change the order of the words and it became =93Killer whale=94 (instead =
of Whale killer as it ought to be).

Can we speak with dolphins?
Your other question was if we could speak with the dolphins and the =
other way around. Well, they do not have vocal chords like our so they =
cannot speak like us. So if you plan to seat by a pool and have a chat =
with a dolphin, forget it=85

Touching whales may be dangerous?

Your previous question was if Orcas turn on their trainers and I said =
that it has happened but it=92s not frequent. But I also told that it =
can be different if you are do not have the proper training to handle =
the animals. What I meant to say was that if you do not have the =
training an animal handler receives and you go out of your mind and jump =
in an Orca pool, you may get injured. Even if the animal doesn=92t =
intend to harm you. Imagine that an Orca (or even a much smaller =
bottle-nosed dolphin) sees you in it=92s pool and thinks that it=92s =
time to play. It can grab you and take you to the bottom, like it does =
with the trainers during the shows, but if you are not  prepared to =
handle that you can even drown.=20

Do dolphins fight with each other?

Its true. Dolphins beat each other in some occasions.  But in other =
occasions you see them all together in peace. Just like us, and dogs and =
cats, and=85

Do bottle-nosed dolphins got their name from drilling the ground with =
the beak?
In some places dolphins use their beak to drill the bottom and search =
for food. But the name =93bottle-nosed dolphin=94 came from the shape of =
the beak which resembles a bottle neck.


Bye,=20
=20
;-=AB)=BB  Rui

_________________________________________________________________________=
____
F=F3rum Oceanos
Visite-nos em http://www.pg.raa.pt/oceanos
Contacte-nos atrav=E9s de <forum.oceanos@oceanet98.pt>
-----Original Message-----
From: TJHudd@aol.com <TJHudd@aol.com>
To: expo106@oceanet98.pt <expo106@oceanet98.pt>
Date: Quarta-feira, 15 de Julho de 1998 20:56
Subject: I forgot!


>Hello! It's me again, Clarissa Bos. I forgot to ask you if it was true =
that a
>ocra(killer whale) is a dolphin because I have this book(''WHALES, =
Dolphins
>and Porpoises, an illustrated encyclopedic survey by international =
experts'')
>and it said that they were dolphins and if they are, why are they =
called
>killer whales, is it because their huge like whales? And I saw this =
dolphin
>show(at a zoo) once and the leader guy said that dolphins and people =
can not
>talk and that we can't understand the dolphins because the noises are =
the air
>coming out of their blow hole. Is that a lie? And if it is why are =
people
>always trying to talk to them?And putting so much $$$money$$$ into it? =
And you
>said that if you were to go to a whale and touch it, that it would be
>dangerous, but I see pics of whale watchers in little boats touching =
them. I
>also saw a T.V. show and they showed bottle-nosed dolphins fighting =
with other
>dolphin because it wasn't one of their kind. So the bottle-nosed =
dolphins
>singled out the dolphin and then that dolphin got others like him and =
they
>were all fighting. Does that really happen? Also on that show it show =
bottle-
>nosed dolphin using it's nose to drill into the ground for food. Is =
that why
>they are called bottle-nosed dolphins?
>
>I'm sorry that I had to write you again, but I didn't know if you were =
real or
>just some one acting but by the way you answered my other questions I =
know you
>have to know what your talking about!!!  : )
>
>
>                                                                        =
   THA
>NK YOU AGAIN!,
>                                                                        =
    Cl
>arissa Bos
>TJHUDD@AOL.COM
>=20

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