What kind of fins do porpoises have

They may be catching a free ride on the bow-wave of your boat. Harbor porpoises stay closer to shore in waters less than ft deep. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Hide Section Navigation. Both dolphins and porpoises receive sound waves in their hollow, lower jaws, which transmit those waves to their ear and then their brains, helping them see solid objects like prey or obstacles in the water. Both animals produce whistles and clicks to communicate with one another, and possibly other whale, dolphin, and porpoise species.

Dolphins tend to be more vocal, possibly because they have fewer predators and, thus, less risk if they are heard. Neither has a sense of smell. This is because their blowholes, which they consciously control, remain closed underwater, and smell is carried by air.

Both are charismatic, curious, and playful animals, performing unique behaviors like fin slaps, leaps out of the water, and swimming at burst speeds. Both can also be found in nearly all of the oceanic sites within the National Marine Sanctuary System. Common dolphins. Photo: Douglas Croft. Footer Subscribe. Accidental capture and death in fishing nets is the cause of their rapid decline in numbers; to put it simply, more vaquitas are killed in fishing nets than are born each year.

Porpoises — meet the different species. The porpoise family contains seven porpoise species Porpoises hunt fast-moving fish, squid, and other sea creatures. Porpoise facts 7 species currently Generally shy Inhabit the world's oceans and seas.

One species also inhabits freshwater in Asia Includes the vaquita, the most endangered species of cetacean the collective name for whales, dolphins and porpoises Dall's porpoises can reach speeds of 55kph 35mph. Find out more about porpoises. Dolphins make whistling sounds through their blowholes to communicate with one another underwater.

Dolphins and porpoises have many similarities, one of which is their extreme intelligence. Both have large, complex brains and a structure in their foreheads, called the melon, with which they generate sonar sound waves to navigate their underwater world. It is likely that more or fewer differences between dolphins and porpoises will be revealed as researchers continue to investigate these intriguing sentinels of the sea.