Do Dolphins Live in Saltwater or Freshwater? Aquatic Dwellings

Last updated on October 7th, 2023 at 10:58 am

Dolphins are elegant marine creatures draw attention due to their intelligence, social behavior and acrobatic displays. A general question always arises “do dolphins live in saltwater or freshwater?” In this article, we will deeply discuss their fascinating world, preference of home whether it is saltwater or freshwater. 

Do Dolphins Live in Saltwater or Freshwater?

As marine animal, dolphins mostly live-in saltwater, not freshwater. Their physiological characteristics and ecological requirements address them in saline water of oceans and seas. Saltwater aids them to regulate body temperature.

Moreover, this water provides them nutrients and ability to float in the water. There are some other species that live in freshwater such as Amazon River dolphin, Ganges River dolphin, Indus River dolphin etc.

See Also: How Long Do Dolphins Live in Aquariums: Unveiling Captive Lifespan

Salinity: A Vital Factor

Salinity or high concentration of salt in water, plays an important role regarding habitat of dolphins.

Dolphin’s body has been adapted with saltwater of sea. Though they are living amongst salt, they get small amount of salt. This is because their kidneys excrete more salt and maintain balance of salt and water. Furthermore, dolphins get enough water content from their food by a process called metabolism.

Freshwater body contains less amount of salts compare to ocean which creates osmotic imbalance in dolphin’s body. The disruption of salt and water balance has connection to body issues and improper body function.  This is why dolphins choose saltwater for their home and get harmony of life there.

Do Bottlenose Dolphins Live in Saltwater or Freshwater?

Bottlenose dolphins are highly adapted to live in salinity water found in ocean, sea and coastal waters. This is why they live saltwater.

However, they live in warm temperature water such as at harbors, bays, and estuaries. There are some bottlenose dolphins rarely found in freshwater environment and brackish waters (mixture of freshwater and saltwater).

How Long Can Dolphins Live in Freshwater?

Short period of time! There is no certain time that define how long can dolphins live in freshwater. The amount of time depends on species of dolphin and environment of freshwater.

Usually, most dolphins cannot live in freshwater. For example, bottlenose dolphin can live short period of time in freshwater. If they stay too long, they feel exhaust, less buoyancy, dehydrated and even they may die.

On the other hand, Amazon River dolphin, another dolphin species, can live their whole life in freshwater. They have special adaptation living in low salinity water.

See Also: The Remarkable Mystery: How Do Dolphins Sleep Without Breathing?

Can Ocean Dolphins Live in Freshwater?

Ocean dolphins used to live in saltwater environments and they are not well-equipped to live in freshwater habitat. In ocean, the amount of salt is higher that their body. For this reason, their kidney excrete salt to maintain osmotic balance.

If ocean dolphins are transferred to freshwater they cannot live because their kidneys will do same work – excretion of salt. In low salinity freshwater, if kidney continues to excrete salt than it leads to imbalance of electrolytes and vital bodily functions.

What Dolphins Live in Freshwater?

There are 5 species of dolphins adapted to live in freshwater environments. These are typically found in rivers, lakes and other freshwater bodies.

1. Amazon River Dolphin: These are the largest freshwater dolphins size ranges up to 2.6 meters long found in Amazon and Orinoco River systems in South America.
2. Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis): It is the smaller one in the amazon river size up to 1.7 meters long.
3. Ganges River Dolphin: It is a small dolphin grow up to 2.3 meters long found in South Asia especially India, Nepal, Bangladesh.
4. Indus River Dolphin: This is also called blind dolphins, found in Indus River system in Pakistan and India.
5. Baiji (Lipotes vexillifer): Also known as Yangtze River dolphin or the white dolphin found in China. This is the rarest dolphins and near to extinct.

Can Dolphins Live in Brackish Water?

Yes, dolphins can live in brackish water. Brackish water means mixture of freshwater and saltwater. In this water salt amount is higher than freshwater and lower than sea water.

Irrawaddy dolphin is especially capable to live in brackish water. It has unique adaptation ability where its kidney can excrete extra salt of brackish which is the key factor for survival.

Other species such as bottlenose dolphin can also live-in brackish water but not for long time. They face dehydration and other health issue if live longer. But it is true that dolphins tend to live longer period in brackish water than freshwater.

See Also: Exploring the Myth: Do Dolphins Eat Humans?

Can River Dolphins Live in The Ocean?

The answer is No. River dolphins cannot live in ocean because they have adaptation to freshwater only in river. In contrast, the sea water is salty where it is near to impossible to live of a river dolphin.

Here are some other reasons why river dolphins cannot live in the ocean:

• Their kidney is not ready to excrete huge amount of salt of ocean
• Their skin is delicate and can be damaged by saltwater
• Their eyes are not well developed to see across saltwater
• Their prey is not sufficient to eat in the ocean

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

The fascinating creature of ocean, dolphins are naturally adapted to live in saltwater due to their physiological and behavioral needs. Their such adaptation with saltwater helping them to overcome challenges of marine world including high salinity level.