BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS Michael Molnar OF MARINE ANIMAL S LIFE CYCLES
4 Life Cycles of Marine Animals Scientists believe that all life on Earth began in the ocean hundreds of millions of years ago Today thousands of different animal species live in and around the ocean No one knows exactly how many different species of marine animals there are hundreds of new species are discovered every year Although they share the same saltwater habitat all marine animals grow and change differently over time Each species has its own unique life cycle The life cycles of marine animals can be as different as the animals themselves Life Cycles All living things have a life cycle An animal’s life cycle begins when it is born and is completed when it has young of its own During their life cycles different species grow and change in different ways Everything an animal does throughout its life cycle happens so that it can survive long enough to reproduce Without this circle of life all living things would become extinct
5 Bottlenose Dolphins Bottlenose dolphins are one of more than 30 species of dolphin Each of these species has a different life cycle Bottlenose dolphins must survive many dangers in order to complete their life cycle Dolphins are Mammals Dolphins look and swim like fish but they are actually mammals Mammals are warm blooded animals that breathe air and care for their young All female mammals produce milk which they feed to their young Living Together Bottlenose dolphins are social animals that live together in small groups These groups are always changing but are usually made up of between 2 and 15 dolphins By living in groups and helping each other dolphins have a better chance of surviving and completing their life cycles Bottlenose dolphins swim together in groups helping and protecting each other throughout their life cycles Dolphins are Related to Hippos It is believed that dolphins evolved from land animals millions of years ago Today the closest living relatives of dolphins are hippopotamuses
