Coastin Carl
π DOLPHIN Awareness Month ORIGIN & HISTORY
Dolphins are very kind and the smartest animal in the ocean. These wonderful mammals’ lives are being threatened so we have DOLPHIN Awareness Month celebrated in the Month of March to help these creatures continue to thrive that swam the oceans for millions of years. There are dozens of dolphins on the endangered species list including some that have been wiped off the planet totally.
Most dolphins that are threatened are ones that come in contact with humans. We need to protect the dolphins in the wild. The Yangtze River dolphin, MΔui dolphin, Ganges River dolphin, and Short-beaked common dolphin are the ones most threatened with extinction. In fact, the freshwater Yangtze Dolphin or Baiji hasn’t been spotted for at least 20 years now!
Dolphins’ lives are threatened as a result for different reasons. From pollution in our waterways, ingesting harmful materials, coming into contact with fast-moving boats to suffering from fishing hooks, lines, and nets. The dolphin habitat is also being damaged which limits the animal’s food source.
π HOW to Celebrate & Observe DOLPHIN Awareness Month?
Not sure how to LOVE the month? We’ve got a few interesting ideas to consider that may help get you started.
Here are some activities that you can do during DOLPHIN Awareness Month!
π RECYCLE where you can
- Do your part to recycle.
- Reduce the amount of waste that will wind up in the environment, landfills, and oceans.
- Especially don’t leave garbage on the beach or that could blow away from ships or boats and end up in waterways.
π SHOW your support
- As a school class write a letter urging lawmakers to pass laws protecting the ocean and its creatures
- Buy only dolphin-safe tuna.
- Support dolphin conservation programs.
- Watch the 2010 Oscar-winning documentary The Cove about the mistreatment and hunting practices of dolphins in Taiji, Japan each year.
π RAISE Social Awareness
Use social media posts with the hashtags #DolphinAwarenessMonth, #ActivistHolidays, #AnimalHolidays, #MarchHolidays, #Holiday, #FindADayToLOVE, #iHEARTdays to support the importance of celebrating, promoting, and sharing with the world why you β€οΈ DOLPHIN Awareness Month.
LEARN more why DOLPHINS are awesome!
DOLPHINS ARE AWESOME
AWESOME SPINNER DOLPHINS IN HAWAII
SEVEN Fun Facts you never knew about DOLPHIN Awareness Month
- Dolphins like whales are believed to have once lived on land. Both aquatic mammals belong to a species group called cetaceans. And x-rays of their flippers and tails resemble hands and feet leading zoologists and scientists to think dolphins first started out on land 50 million years ago and later adapted to life in the water.
- Dolphins live in groups called pods. The healthy ones in the group are known to care for their injured or elderly. Dolphins generally live anywhere between 40 to 60 years depending on the type of species.
- When feeding, dolphins use their teeth to “catch” their prey and swallow it whole. This is okay because they have two stomachs to digest their food.
- Strangely dolphins sleep with half their brain awake and one eye open. This way they can always stay alert when danger is present. Don’t worry I’m sure they alternate between which side of their brain is asleep to get a full night’s rest.
- Sharks typically are afraid of dolphins because they have strength in numbers.
- Dolphins typically eat crustaceans, squid, and fish.
- Since dolphins technically are whales, the orca or killer whale is the world’s largest dolphin while Hector’s dolphins are the smallest and most rare of dolphins.
Famous PEOPLE also born during the Month of March
-
FrΓ©dΓ©ric Chopin
Polish composer and virtuoso pianist best known for his work during the romantic period. Chopin was also a child prodigy publishing his first composition at six years of age and giving public concerts at the ripe old age of seven. Over 230 of his works survive. Born 1810.
FRΓDΓRIC CHOPIN Quote
“Oh, how hard it must be to die anywhere but in one’s birthplace.”
-
Yitzhak Rabin
Israeli politician and general who was the country’s fifth and first native-born Prime Minister and one of the most revered commanders in Israel’s history, especially during the Six Day War of 1967. Best known for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994; he was assassinated a year later. Born 1922.
YITZHAK RABIN Quote
βYou don’t make peace with friends. You make it with very unsavory enemies.β
“We do not celebrate the death of our enemies.”
-
Glenn Miller
American trombonist and composer best known as a bandleader of swing band orchestras and was the best-selling musical artist from 1939 to 1942. He mysteriously disappeared in 1944 some say during a daring spy mission for the Allies. Born 1904.
GLENN MILLER Quote
“I haven’t a great jazz band, and I don’t want one.”
Future DATES for DOLPHIN Awareness Month
| Year | Date | Month of the Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 1 | March |
| 2024 | March 1 | March |
| 2025 | March 1 | March |
| 2026 | March 1 | March |
| 2027 | March 1 | March |
π΅ Dolphin FAQ
Why are dolphins important to HUMANS?
- Dolphins can be used as therapy for humans with disabilities and in the military, but they’re also used for military exercises, especially in the Russian navy which should be classified as cruelty to the animal.
Do dolphins MATE for life?
- Actually, dolphins are very promiscuous; they don’t stay together. Calves are cared for by their mother but the male dolphin is out roaming for other females to mate with.
Why are dolphins on the ENDANGERED list?
- Fishing is a huge business since people like eating tuna, crab, and other seafood. Since dolphins are mammals and have to breathe air, they get tangled when fishing lines are dropped. Every year it’s estimated 300,000 dolphins and whales die like this.
- Pollution either by accident or on purpose harms animals. Chemicals and trash affect dolphins and the food they eat.
- Different cyclical climate changes affect dolphins too.
The Impπrtance of DOLPHIN Awareness Month
Dolphins are close to sea turtles when it comes to most people’s all-time favorite sea animals. Protect animals by preserving them in their natural habitats and without being harmed. And if you like animals that spend a lot of their time in the water, check out World HIPPO Day.
-
AWARENESS is Key
Aquariums and businesses take in dolphins so the public can view these majestic creatures. These organizations might have their own conservation agencies. Learn how you can protect the animals from dangers they face in the wild.
-
CAPTIVITY Ain’t Worth It
It isn’t worth it to keep dolphins in captivity for doing tricks and being able to swim with them because they get traumatized and die prematurely. Performing on cue isn’t natural; they’re fed frozen fish instead of nutrient-dense fish like in the wild. Now let’s talk about their enclosed pens keeping them from swimming normally, whereas a natural environment can give them latitude to swim up to 30 mph. Some species can cover up to 250 miles in a single day. That’s good quality exercise instead of lazily swimming around in captivity!
