Dolphins, as you may know, are mammals. The fact that all mammal species have hair on their bodies is one of their distinguishing features. What about dolphins, though? Do dolphins have hair because of their sleek, streamlined shapes that make it appear as though they have none at all? Let’s dolphinfaqs.com find out!
Do Dolphins Have Hair?
Do dolphins have hair when they are born and while they are in the womb, but it only covers the top of their rostrum and falls away shortly after birth. A young dolphin has about 12 hairs total, with about 6 on each side of the rostrum.
These hairs, which resemble whiskers more than hairs and are not clearly seen from a distance, will fall out on their own after about a week.
The official name for these “whiskers” is “vibrissae,” and they are rigid and not just found on dolphins. They typically serve some sort of sensory function in contrast to the fuzzy, silky hair you may be used to seeing on animals.
Another thing to remember is that hair follicles may be found wherever there is hair, and dolphins are no different.
The follicular sinus complex, a specialized touch organ rich in nerve endings that gives the muscles in the area the capacity to have neurological reactions to stress, tension, excitation, etc., surrounds every follicle.
It is uncertain whether this organ has any mutations that would make it still functional as a sensor of movement, action, and position in adult dolphins since most dolphins only have it during the perinatal period while the hair follicles remain throughout their lives.
Why Are Dolphins Born With Hair?
Do dolphins have hair, You’ll recall that I said the vibrissae are used for sensory purposes. The “whiskers” on newborn dolphins are thought to aid the calves in locating and sensing their mother, particularly the nipple area so they may suckle. This is similar to other mammals.
However, other people think that these hairs are only a holdover from their time living on land some 50 million years ago.
Don’t forget that ungulates were our beloved dolphins’ ancestors! the same family as all hoofed mammals, including pigs, giraffes, horses, and cows.
The most frequently acknowledged and supported theory among scientists is that the hair found on infant dolphins serves sensory purposes.
When Does A Dolphin’s Hair Fall Out?
Do dolphins have hair, The hair on a dolphin calf might take anywhere from a few hours to nearly a week to come out, mainly as a result of water pressure from swimming next to its mother. However, there is a specific species of dolphin that has hair all of its life!
The “botos,” often called pink dolphins or dolphins from the Amazon river, maintain their vibrissae far into maturity.
They dwell in extremely murky water, so relying solely on their vision will only get them so far.
They actually have very weak vision because it is useless for traversing the Amazon River’s dark waters.
It is thought that pink dolphins make the most of their tactile organ and combine it with their echolocation to hunt for prey and navigate through rivers.
On calves of this species, the hairs are more apparent.
More On Dolphin Hair
Do dolphins have hair, When it comes to dolphin hair, I find the following three facts to be really fascinating:
- Even though a dolphin’s hair comes off relatively early in life, the hair follicles persist for the duration of the animal’s life and, in many cases, are visible to the unaided eye, serving as a sobering reminder that these lovely creatures once roamed the earth.
- Dolphins never grow a single hair on their body after the vibrissae fall out! They truly don’t need a coat of fur because the fat and blubber that lies just beneath their skin allows them to stay warm, and it would just slow them down as they merrily swim through our oceans.
- Do you know how every time you brush your hair, a lot of hair ends up in your brush? And the only reason you don’t freak out over it is because you are aware that it is a typical occurrence, just like how you constantly lose skin cells to be healthy.
Even though they don’t have hair, dolphins nonetheless shed, and they do it roughly 12 times per day!
Dolphins have perpetually smooth, exfoliated skin because they lose the top layer of their skin at a rate that is roughly nine times faster than that of humans.
Final Thoughts
Do dolphins have hair? Dolphins have a mystical aspect with their lovely shining skin, noble face, and fish-like form, making it very simple to forget that humans are mammals just like them.
A truly lovely illustration of how humans are so much alike in the most important aspects is the fact that the primary function of these hairs is to allow a baby dolphin to locate its mother’s breast for the first swallow of milk.
It’s astonishing how even a few hairs can serve as a reminder of how much we resemble the stunning animals that inhabit our oceans.
Such a humble experience will hopefully serve as a reminder for you and I to be aware of how every action we do affects the wildlife we share this wonderful planet with.
Thank you for joining me as I continue to learn everything there is to know about the animals that live directly beneath the surface of our stunning blue oceans.
