Dolphins

Though she appeared to be in good health just days earlier, Lolita died of a suspected renal condition.

Lolita the Orca Dies After More Than 50 Years in Captivity

Several groups were working to remove the 7,000-pound creature from the Miami Seaquarium and return her to the ocean at the time of her death

An orca mother travels alongside her son. Older orca females past their reproductive years often lead their pods on hunts.

Aging Mother Orcas Keep Their Sons Out of Fights

In a new study, male orcas with mothers that had gone through menopause showed less tooth scarring on their fins compared to other males

A pink dolphin spotted in Louisiana.

Rare Pink Dolphins Spotted Swimming in Louisiana River

The cetaceans are likely bottlenose dolphins with albinism, and one could be "Pinky," an animal first seen in the area in 2007

An orca hunts sea lion pups on a beach in Argentina.

Five Astounding Orca Behaviors Explained, From Ramming Boats to Hunting Great White Sharks

The apex predators also surge onto shorelines to capture seals and engage in mysterious greeting ceremonies

Dolphins and humans both change how they communicate when they're around babies.

Dolphins Use Baby Talk When Their Calves Are Around

Like humans, female dolphins make higher-pitched vocalizations when communicating with their young

A recent incident suggests the boat-bashing behavior of orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar might be spreading to other groups.

Orca Rams Into Yacht Near Scotland, Suggesting the Behavior May Be Spreading

The incident occurred roughly 2,000 miles away from the recent encounters near Spain and Portugal

Nihohae matakoi swam in waters off the coast of New Zealand around 25 million years ago.

These Prehistoric Dolphins Had Tusk-Like Teeth

The animals likely thrashed their heads back and forth to injure or stun prey with their unusual, horizontal teeth

A distinct subpopulation of orcas lives in the Strait of Gibraltar off the coast of Spain, where they like to hunt and eat Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Orcas Are Ramming Into Ships Off Europe's Coast

One researcher says this may be a response to a "critical moment of agony" a female orca experienced with a boat

Scan of a porpoise head showing the phonic lips, which help produce echolocation clicks, and the round, fatty melon that conducts sound into the water

Some Whales Use a Creaky 'Vocal Fry' Voice to Find Food

Like humans, toothed whales have three vocal registers: chest, falsetto and vocal fry

A dolphin giving a cue to a fisher in Laguna, Brazil.

Dolphins and Humans Work Together to Catch Fish in Brazil

The partnership has endured for some 150 years, and it benefits both species, a new study finds

Fishers have employed all manner of strategies to prevent dolphins and other marine mammals from raiding their nets. “Hot sauce” is the latest in the arsenal.

Dolphins Shrug Off Hot Sauce-Spiked Nets

Fishing nets laced with spice did nothing to deter the hungry marine mammals

A pod of killer whales swims together in Chatham Strait, Alaska. 

Video Footage Captures Orcas Killing Great White Sharks

The predation could explain why the sharks have been locally declining in recent years

The Mirage dolphin exhibit in 2000

Three Dolphins Die at the Mirage in Six Months

The Las Vegas hotel and casino temporarily closed its dolphin exhibit after 11-year-old K2 passed last month

About 230 pilot whales were stranded on an Australian beach. 

About 200 Stranded Whales Die on Australian Beach

Rescue operations saved around 30 of the animals

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins off the coast of Western Australia

Male Dolphins Have (Lots of) Wingmen

To find a mate, male dolphins work together in complex social networks that dwarf those of any other animal, except humans, study finds

A pod of orcas feeding in the Atlantic Ocean

Orcas Are Breaking Rudders Off Boats in Europe

These interactions around Spain and Portugal might be a trend among juveniles, scientists say

A common bottlenose dolphin swimming off the coast of France. 

Dolphins Have Different Whistles Based on Their Environment

Genetics have little influence on the differences between dolphin whistles, but location and population demographics play an important role

When a group of 360 dolphins visited corals located in the Northern Red Sea, reseachers noticed that calves under one year old would watch adults brush themselves against the coral.

Dolphins May Use Coral and Sponges as Skin Care Items

The mammals rub on invertebrates, possibly to contact substances that might work like antibacterial creams

The behavior has not previously been seen, and it was the first time an interaction between a Bolivian river dolphin and a Beni anaconda has ever been recorded.

River Dolphins Spotted in Rare Playful Interaction With a Beni Anaconda

Researchers suspect that the dolphins were playing with the boa, but many questions about the behavior remain

Biologists of the past often explained the vast spectrum of animal genitalia with "lock-and-key": the hypothesis that vaginas and penises had primarily evolved to fit into each other mechanically. Today, there is a growing appreciation for the myriad of forces acting on genitals.

Why Have Female Animals Evolved Such Wild Genitals?

From ducks to dolphins, females have developed sex organs that help them deter undesirable suitors and derive pleasure from non-reproductive behavior

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