What did you say?

Did you know that dolphins have ears?   Well not quite like ours they have a small opening on either side of their heads that they use for hearing.   Here  is some extra info that you may or may not know about dolphins and hearing.  

Dolphins hear through a sophisticated hearing sense which is located in small ear openings on both sides of the head.

However, it is believed that hearing underwater is mainly done through the lower jar bone which conducts sounds to the middle ear.

Dolphins are able to hear a broader range of frequencies than humans.

While we can hear sounds from 20 Hz to 20 Khz, dolphins are able to hear from 20 to 150 Khz being up to 7 times more sensitive than human ear.

Therefore we are not even able to hear a large number of sound made by dolphins.

Why not visit us at Jamaica's number one attraction / excursion www.dolphincoveja.com

What does it take to be a dolphin trainer

Recently we were doing some interviews in our Dolphin Cove Negril location.   I had the pleasure of sitting in on these meetings.  Here is what I learned.

To be a great dolphin trainer you need to love animals.  This may seem obvious to most however many people like animals however you must love them.

Being a parent helps.  This is because you need patients and must not be prone to over reacting.

You must want to learn and grow.   This is because you and the dolphin will learn together and grow in both your knowledge and trust for each other.

Much like any animal you need to be able to work with them no matter what you are feeling.   Even though the dolphin will know if your not well or not they still want to be with you and will know when your gone.  

You need to know how to swim.   I guess I don't need to explain this one.

You need to understand that positive reinforcement is the only method that is allowed.    A good petting, kind word or tasty fish is much more effective than yelling.

Dolphins are a lot like very smart children.  You need to be able to work with them for a long time.   Anyone that appears as though they want a job not a career,   will not make it.

Above all.  You need to love Dolphins.   Even if you say you do. We can tell in a very short period what your true intentions are and believe it or not.  You will be gone quickly.  

So here is my advice.  If your interested in a career at Dolphin Cove Jamaica ensure you want just that.  We don't offer jobs we offer careers with the ultimate benefit.

What do the Dolphins at Dolphin Cove eat?

I seem to get this question a lot.   I will answer it here and of course I will answer it again.  Dolphins are marine mammals and as a result they eat fish.  They also eat other things such as shrimp, crab and squid.   They are also given vitamins on a daily basis.  Since Dolphin Cove Jamaica is a natural lagoon they have the opportunity to fish / hunt for food on their own.   I have witnessed these beautiful creatures work together to catch fish.  They do it in many ways.  The most exciting I have seen is when the Dolphins stun their prey with their tails.   This just goes to show how smart and creative these beautiful animals are.  

Dolphin Trek available only at Dolphin Cove Jamaica.

Dolphin Cove Jamaica

Interesting write up about dolphins I found online.

Humans cherish and admire beings who possess noble traits. The resourcefulness, confidence and grace of dolphins endear them to our hearts and minds. It is because we search for the same characteristics in ourselves that we cherish these magnificent animals.
We like to think that dolphins enjoy being around us as much as we do them. Is it possible that dolphins share our company simply for diversity? Some species can become bored with their own kind. Who gets more out of the relationship: the human or dolphin? They provide us with insight into the realms of anatomy, behavior and communication. Still, our curiosity pushes us to learn more. Although we admire other animals, dolphins remain high on our list of species that fascinate us.
Scientists believe that marine mammals are descendants of animals that once lived on land. The skeleton of a dolphin supports this theory. There is a modified form of hands in the front flippers of a dolphin. Two small, unattached bones located behind the rib cage are believed to be remains of the pelvic girdle, to which hind limbs once attached. Most people wouldn’t know it, but dolphins have a common ancestor with hoofed animals, specifically cows. With so many cow lovers out there as well, it wouldn’t be a surprise. 

Dolphins and pregnancy

I have been doing a lot of thinking about pregnancy recently.  (NO I do not have a little one on the way).   It struck me about how at Dolphincoveja.com we do not want pregnant women to swim with the dolphins and I wanted to know more.   Here is what I have found.

Using echolocation, dolphins might be able to detect a pregnant woman's developing fetus, some experts say. Dolphins emit sounds in their environment and listen to the echoes that return — a process that helps them identify the shapes and locations of objects. Doctors use a similar technique to image a developing human baby. Both involve ultrasound — high-pitched pulses of sound above the range of human hearing. "I think it's extremely plausible [dolphins] would be able to detect a fetus," said Lori Marino, a neuroscientist at Emory University in Atlanta who studies cetacean intelligence. However, "you'd have to really do a well-controlled study to make a definitive statement," she cautioned.

So this goes to show you that maybe you could be pregnant and a Dolphin will tell you.   My suggestion is this.  When you come to Dolphin Cove Jamaica and the Dolphins are very excited to see you then you may just need to do a test.  Till then   Happy days.

Dolphin Therapy fact or fiction

I read a lot of articles about Dolphin therapy and I wonder to myself is it fact or fiction.   The answer is I don't know.  I do believe that animals of all types benefit humans to a far greater extent than we can ever know.   I think about how many times I just reach out and pet the dog for no other reason than I want to.  How I look forward to my dog greeting me when I get home from work.  I think about how I feel when she is not well or has hurt herself.   I know that I feel better with her around.  I also know that when I work with and interact with the dolphins I also feel a sense of pleasure and relief.  I feel some of my stresses going away and a sense of calmness.  I guess it is considered a sense of therapy however I am unsure if it has a lasting effect.   I also take into account why little children and pregnant women should not interact with the Dolphins.  I know that the dolphin senses when they are near and their instincts take over and want to interact with them.   I can assure you that this is not in a bad way but the risks are too great.    So is Dolphin therapy real?  I am not sure.   But I do know that anything that makes you feel this great can't be bad for you.   Here is a link to a very good article that I have found.  You can decide for yourself.  Comments?  

Eating dolphins (not eating a dolphin)

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is how much does a dolphin eat.  There are many answers to this but most of them are silly.  I will stick to facts.   Dolphins eat a lot.  The amount of food they eat is in direct correlation as to what they are eating.  

Bottlenose dolphins eat several kinds of fish (including mullet, mackerel, herring, cod) and squid. The composition of the diet depends very much on what is available in the area they live in and also on the season. The amount of fish they eat depends on the fish species they are feeding on: mackerel and herring have a very high fat content and consequently have a high caloric value, whereas squid has a very low caloric value, so to get the same energy intake (calories) they will need to eat much more if they feed on squid than if they feed on mackerel or herring. On average an adult dolphin will eat 4-9% of its body weight in fish, so a 250 kg (550 lb) dolphin will eat 10-22.5 kg (22-50 lb) fish per day.

The bucket list

The other day I watched the movie the bucket list.  It caused me to think about my life a bit.   Here is what I have found on the web as a bucket list.  I will also point out the ones I have done.  I will go one step further and point out how coming to Dolphin Cove in Jamaica can help you clear a few things off this list.

•   ride: in a hot air balloon 
•   see: Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) 
•   see: Grand Canyon, Arizona 
•   swim: with dolphins   (um we are here I have done this.)
•   go: on safari  (we have the jungle trail its close enough)
•   see: Great Barrier Reef 
•   go: on a helicopter ride 
•   Travel to the seven continents 
•   Sleep under the stars   (many times as a child and a few times as an adult.  Jamaica is great for this)
•   Make a difference in someone's life  (we do this every day but bring them to Jamaica and its done for ever)
•   Shower in a waterfall.   (again very easy and fun to do in Jamaica.  Dunns river is across the street)
•   do: scuba diving   (we have sea trek here so you can interact with the dolphins at the same time)
•   do: sky diving    (was fun but would never do again)
•   see: Great Wall of China 
•   Travel: Italy 
•   Get married 
•   ride: on an elephant  (was at the zoo though)
•   Travel: Australia 
•   Raise a happy and healthy child ( she is only two though so I have a long way to go)
•   go: whale-watching   (have done this in jamaica many times)
•   see: Seven New Wonders of the World 
•   see: New Years Eve at Times Square (New York) 
•   learn: a foreign language (or 2 or more!)  (patois does count)
•   see: Broadway play (New York)   (saw cats)
•   do: white water rafting   (done this in Jamaica too)
•   see: Amazon Rainforest  
•   donate: blood 
•   go: on a road trip. 
•   do: canoeing or kayaking   (dolphin cove offers this as well.)
•   Travel: France 
•   Find the love of my life 
•   go: camping 
•   see: Stonehenge 
•   see: Mona Lisa at the Louvre 
•   visit: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 
•   create: a loving and happy home 
•   ride: a camel  (can do this at dolphin cove Negril)
•   Travel: Greece 
•   visit: Machu Picchu, Peru. 
•   do: a bungee jump 
•   Experience weightlessness 
•   see: Iceberg 
•   see: Yellowstone National Park 
•   Sleep in a castle 
•   see: Olympic Games (summer) 
•   Maintain my ideal weight 
•   see: Mardi Gras, New Orleans 
•   see: Great Sphinx of Giza 
•   see: Sistine Chapel 
•   see: Louvre Museum (Grand Louvre)