heard the phrase "porpoises", many are domestic furry rodents like hamsters.But it turns out, the so-called representatives of the order Cetacea, looks like a dolphin which lives primarily in the salty waters of the majority of seas and oceans.Some have even used as human food.Since porpoises most species are endangered animals in the last years of their catch is prohibited.Because of the striking similarity with the dolphins, these families are often confused not only ordinary people but also experts fauna.
Like other aquatic mammals, porpoises are viviparous.The females feed their young with milk for quite a long time.Their diet consists primarily of fish, but sometimes includes squid and shellfish.
Species porpoises
Globally, they are divided into three groups: finless, white-winged and ordinary.Representatives of the latter genera include four types.That is a total of six leaves.They are very different from each other, both appearance and habitat.Some species prefer to stay in schools, while others live alone.Among them are very common marine animals, and on the verge of extinction.But genetically they all belong to the same family.
finless pig
got the name because of the lack of dorsal fin.It is considered the smallest dolphin in the land (the remaining members of the family there is one).Its size does not exceed 1.2 meters.The small head without beak with a round forehead - a distinctive feature of this species.The body is smooth, dark gray (sometimes - almost black) color, sometimes with a slight blue tint.Inhabit these porpoises primarily in the Indian and Pacific oceans from the Cape of Good Hope to the shores of Japan.Keep animals can both individually and in small groups.
Pig (sea) common
divided into three subspecies, inhabiting almost everywhere, starting with the North Atlantic Ocean and ending the Pacific coast of the Far East.Porpoise common - a typical representative of the fauna of the Black and Azov Seas.Males are smaller than females of these animals, their size does not exceed one and a half meters long.Hold groups they usually feed on fish.Their main feature is that when breathing they jump from the water.Colouring is usually black or dark gray, the lower part of the body lighter than the top.
Black Sea porpoise or harbor porpoise, named due to its range of its habitats are genetically different from the Baltic and Pacific subspecies.But apparently they are very similar.Ordinary pig most studied person, because most often found in captivity in dolphinariums, aquariums and research centers.
Despite the large number of individuals, the industrial catch of these animals is prohibited in most countries (with the exception of Japan, where they still eat).
vaquita
number of these mammals disastrously low.According to scientists, in the wild they have no more than 300 individuals.For this reason, trapping animals is strictly prohibited, but this situation does not help, because they affect the number of poor environment and the presence of a large shark populations in the habitat.They live exclusively in the Gulf of California, which periodically suffer from fishing nets.
These porpoises are not very large - up to 150 cm in length and 50 kg in weight.Enjoy a gray body with a large black "points" around the eyes.The lower part, as most members of the family, lighter than the top.Herd animals rather slowly, avoiding the noise, the people and everything connected with them.
Argentine variety
named so because of habitat.He lives mainly in the waters of the Pacific Ocean near South America, and is sometimes found in the Atlantic.It differs from its congeners ability for a long time to live in a freshwater environment.Argentine porpoises often swim in the river estuaries in search of prey.They can stay there for weeks, moving against the current of up to 50 km.
Unlike their cousins, the whales love the solitude.They have a fairly large powerful bodies (up to 180 cm in length).The color of the body is dark gray with a barely noticeable enlightenment to the bottom.The main food of the animal - fish and squid.
Points pig
She - the Atlantic, the first received its name due to dark circles around the eyes resembling spectacles.Second - because of habitat.This large animal (up to 2.2 meters in length) live in small groups off the coast.It lives mainly in the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean, but is also found in Indian (near the Kerguelen Islands) and the Pacific (off the coast of Tasmania and South Australia).
from fellow abrupt transition characterized by black color back to white belly.According resembles a young killer whale, but not as aggressive behavior.Eyes are located on the black head, surrounded by white "spectacles".It feeds on fish, crustaceans, mollusks.
Dall's porpoise
This is the largest member of the family grows up to 2 meters in length and weight gains of up to 220 kg.It lives in the Bering Sea, Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan.Animals are kept in groups of up to 20 individuals, feeding on fish and shellfish.Conducted primarily nocturnal.Often make a company killer whale during a hunt.Diving can reach a depth of half a kilometer, and, rising to the surface, do not jump out of the water completely.
White spots on the sides of the black body - the main "special sign" by which received its name, this porpoise.Dolphin can be covered and others not so large light markings on the body.Sometimes there are completely black specimens.
Life in captivity
Since catching most species of cetaceans is prohibited under artificial conditions they are held less frequently.Basically, it comes to aquariums, research centers, dolphin and sea theaters.Although the intelligence of animals can not be called weak, they are taught with great difficulty.For this reason, they are used in the representations are quite rare.
lack of freedom of movement, and cramped space porpoises suffer very badly.Improper maintenance, they often yearn, suffer and may even die.To feed these pets can be difficult.Indeed, in their daily diet include fresh fish.Porpoise - predator with a voracious and fastidious.
Human activities are largely detrimental effect on the population of all species of porpoises.They suffer from ecological disasters, illegal fishing, and sometimes killed, accidentally falling into the network.In some countries they still hunt using the meat of animals.But in most of their catch is prohibited by law, and for the violation of one specific punishment.
Porpoises - mammals, which, along with dolphins, are toothed whales.However, a clear boundary between these two families exists.All of them - predators.Some are kept in groups, others prefer solitude, feed on fish and other marine life.In captivity live rarely and reluctantly, are difficult to train.Some of the species are quite numerous, while others are on the verge of extinction.
