Sharks and dolphins are very fascinating creatures because of their unique personas and behaviors. Their personalities seem to clash when compared to each other. Sharks tend to have a mean and intimidating character thanks to their razor sharp teeth, while a dolphin seems to be a bubblier and clever creature. Even though they have similar features, they are far from alike. Whereas sharks and dolphins are different in behavior, reproduction, and hunting, they are similar in body shape, and habitat. First, sharks are very different from dolphins because their behavior is somewhat more aggressive than dolphins.
Sharks are the kings of the ocean. They are at the top of the marine food chain and are considered one of the top predators of the sea. To help them hunt better, sharks have a very keen sense of smell and can feel vibrations. They are very carnivorous and love to eat. Sharks can go near the coastline, below the ocean’s surface, freezing waters, and even migrate. Depending on what type of shark it is can differ where and what they eat. Sharks tend to eat fish but they could also eat other sharks or dolphins. Aside from fish, some sharks can live off of mollusks, crab, and even squid.
Sharks usually are not afraid to go after a huge meal and they will eat anything they think they can digest. Some research has proved that in a shark’s stomach they will find debris from humans such as license plates and cans. When dealing with their young, different sharks have different behaviors. Sharks can either give viviparous or oviparous, ovoviviparous. Being viviparous, sharks give birth to live “pups”. When they have their young, the mother immediately abandons them, leaving them to fend for themselves, which they instinctively know.
When sharks are oviparous, sharks lay eggs in a place that is well hidden and safe. When the eggs are laid, the eggs are in a protective casing that makes it extremely difficult for predators to get to them. In most species of sharks, they are viviparous. The eggs are hatched inside of the mother shark and they are nourished by the egg and yolk. They are born live and functional. There are a few species that practice cannibalism, when they are hatched the pups will eat the remaining eggs in order to grow and survive.
Sharks are fish so they have gills, they come from the group Selachimorpha. According to the Defenders of Wildlife, “There are more than 465 known species of sharks living in our oceans today. ” (2012, Web). They have a cartilaginous skeleton and can get from 15 to 12 meters long and can live up to 20 to 30 years. They have a torpedo shaped body with vertical tail flukes so that they can go through the water with speed and hunt expertly. Sharks have sharp replaceable teeth that they use for hunting and eating their prey. Sharks are also cold blooded.
These are all just some of of the differences Sharks have from Dolphins. Dolphins are very friendly creatures opposed to sharks. Dolphins are believed to be one of the most intelligent animals. According to the Conservation Institute, “Dolphins have the ability to produce whistles for communication and clicks for sonar at the same time, which would be like a human speaking in two voices with two different pitches while trying to hold two different conversations. ” (2014, Web). This is just one of the many ways that dolphins prove their intelligence.
Another example would be the fact that when they sleep, half their brain is asleep while the other is awake. The dolphin is truly a magnificent creature. Unlike sharks who just catch fish, dolphins have many different ways to catch their food. Sometimes, the will often herd schools of fish into something called a “bait ball”. Once the ball is formed the dolphin will plow through it. Another way dolphins hunt is by using their sonar or echolocation to either detect fish under the sand, or by stunning fish. Dolphins tend to prey on fish, squid, octopus, and shrimp.
Dolphins are very opportunistic animals, when commercial fisherman are fishing, dolphins will sometimes help. The location of dolphins differs because dolphins are found all over the world. Some dolphins such as the bottlenose dolphins live in tropical waters. When raising their young, dolphins have a different approach than sharks. Not only does a dolphin raise and nurture their calf after they are born, but also other dolphins help mothers deliver the calf. Once a baby calf is born, the mother must immediately take it to the surface to breath its first breath or air.
Usually a calf will stay with its mother until they are six years old. During this time, the mother and other dolphins teach the calf the skills needed to survive. Family is very important to dolphins because they bond with other dolphins Sharks and Dolphins may look alike with their body shape, but they are very different. While a shark is a fish, a dolphin is a mammal. They are from the family Delphinidae. There are about 40 different types of dolphin species. These are all found all over the world and often seen in the shallow wees of the coasts.
Unlike shark’s dolphins have a bone skeleton. Their body is stream-lined shaped that helps with fast swimming like sharks but they have horizontal tail flukes. The head of the dolphin is very round and it contains an organ that is used for echolocation. Dolphins have elongated jaws, that form a beak and in some species (such as the bottlenose) have a curved mouth that looks like a small smile. Dolphins also have shades of gray Although there are many differences sharks and dolphin have some similarities. One comparison is the fact that they both live in the ocean.
Not only do they share the same habitat, they also have similar likes in food. They both can be found in coastal areas or places with warm water. Also, they are both predators and like to hunt fish and squid in some similar ways such as their echolocation abilities and their body shape. They both have stream-lined, or torpedo shaped bodies. This allows them to swim through the water with speed and vigilance. Making them expert predators. Another similarity would be their interesting behaviors. They both entertain people with their personalities.
While dolphins are very energetic and like to do flips and tricks, Sharks are just fearless creatures whose hunting skills are astonishing. Sharks and Dolphins will continue being mystifying creatures of the sea who will fascinate the world. Sharks and Dolphins may have some similar characteristics but they are both uniquely different. While their looks and prey have some similarities, their behavior, hunting strategies, and reproduction styles are quite different. All of these differences and similarities really show how interesting these marine animals are.
