There are a lot of fish in the sea, however, this doesn’t apply to dolphins. Despite what many believe, dolphins aren’t fish—instead they’re aquatic mammals. Dolphin species are separated into a variety of families, notably Oceanic dolphins, Indian river dolphins, New World dolphins, brackish dolphins and the now extinct Chinese river dolphins. There are approximately 40 extant species of dolphin, with the most widely known being the common bottlenose dolphin.
Many may not know this but Orcas actually belong to the dolphin family. Despite being named Killer Whales, Orcas are actually the largest member of the dolphin family and can reach approximately 10-tonnes. Some dolphins can reach speeds of 18 mph and can leap up to 30 feet in the air.
Over the years, there have been plenty of movies about dolphins that have made a profound impact on popular culture. Some of our favorites include 1963’s “Flipper,” 1993’s “Free Willy,” and 2013’s “Blackfish.” The latter film followed an orca named Tilikum, who spent the majority of his life at SeaWorld in Florida and opened millions of eyes to the psychological impact captivity can have on these animals.
Take a look at 75 of our favorite delightful dolphin tattoos in the gallery below. Then let us know your favorite species of dolphin in the comments section on social media.
Source: www.inkedmag.com