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Where do dolphins live?
All over the world — from colder northern and southern waters to warm tropical waters. The bottlenose dolphin prefers warmer water.

How fast do dolphins swim?
We don't know how fast most dolphins swim but bottlenose dolphins typically swim at 3 to 7 miles per hour. They can go over 20 miles per hour when they work hard. The body shape of a dolphin helps it swim fast. A dolphin's body is shaped like a tube that is pointed at both ends. This streamlining helps the water flow over the dolphin's body as it swims.

How deep do dolphins dive?
It's hard to say how deep oceanic dolphins can dive because most of the 32 species have not been studied. Bottlenose dolphins are shallow divers and typically don't go deeper than 150 feet. In the Indian River Lagoon the deepest waters are only 10 to 12 feet deep.

How do dolphins stay warm?
Even though dolphins are warm-blooded, and their internal temperature is about 98 degrees, they need to conserve their body heat in colder water. Like most whales, the dolphin's body is surrounded by a thick layer of fat (called blubber) just under the skin that helps keep the dolphin warm.

What do dolphins eat?
Mostly a variety of fish and squid, depending on what part of the ocean they live in. The bottlenose dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon eat mostly fish because there aren't many squid in the lagoon. A dolphin's cone-shaped teeth interlock to catch fish. Their teeth are not used to chew, and they swallow their food whole.

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