Buoto, or inii ... Do you know such names? Surely not. So called pink dolphins in their habitats. Surprised that such animals exist? Then let's get acquainted in detail with the features of their life.
Pink dolphins - a mystery of nature
These unusual creatures are primarily affected by the color of the skin. Young individuals are born light gray. As they grow older, they acquire a pink or less often blue hue. It can be assumed that with such exotic features they are actively used for training. But this is not at all true. The fact is that representatives of this species are quite aggressive even in relation to each other and are difficult to train.
Pay attention to how pink dolphins look (see photo in the article). By nature, they are albinos, but in shape and size of the body are no different from ordinary representatives of toothed whales. For scientists, they still remain a mystery. Therefore, only legends explain their origin so far. One of them says that pink dolphins at night turn into beautiful young men who seduce girls. There is also a belief that the souls of the drowned are instilled in them.
Origin
Despite all the mysteries, the taxonomists determined the position of these amazing creatures in the system of the organic world. River pink dolphins are aquatic mammals belonging to the suborder Toothed whales.
Features of the external structure
The appearance that pink dolphins have (photos clearly demonstrate it) is typical of their representatives. The body length usually does not exceed 2.5 m, and the mass is about 200 kg. Only adult individuals have a characteristic body color. Inhabitants of lakes are usually darker than river inhabitants.
Pink dolphins are characterized by a rather unusual sexual demorphism. The fact is that males are larger than females, which is uncharacteristic for most animals.
The body of dolphins is elongated, towards the tail it becomes thinner. It ends with a beak that is slightly curved down and covered with bristles. The number of teeth is about 120. They are differentiated and perform the functions of capturing, holding and chewing food. The cornea of small eyes is yellow in color. This device is a protection against bright light. The head of pink dolphins is mobile and can rotate 90 degrees. The only caudal and paired abdominal fins act as a rudder. But the dorsal is absent. It is replaced by a small gentle hump.
Pink dolphins: where they live and what they eat
The habitat of these species are the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. Here they live in tributaries and small channels, estuaries, peaks and lower reaches of waterfalls and rapids.
Pink river dolphin is not found in salt waters, which are a limiting factor in its habitat. Their diet is fish, sometimes turtles and crabs. Pink dolphins can eat about 10 kg of food per day. They are active, regardless of the time of day, they can even penetrate fishing nets for fishing or swim in search of boats.
These amazing organisms are serious predators. They can even drive schools of fish together with otters with which they are neighbors in the range.
For a successful hunt, this species of dolphins uses not only touch and hearing. Under water, the ability to echolocation helps them very well. The essence of this phenomenon is to recognize the position of the object by the period of time during which the reflected wave returns.
Lifestyle
Pink dolphins most often lead a sedentary lifestyle. Their movements are usually associated with seasonal changes in water levels. When rivers become shallow, they move closer to the channels. During the spill, pink dolphins prefer small channels. Cases of their migrations from one river to another over the flooded land are known.
Individuals usually live alone or in pairs - mom and calf. In relation to each other are often aggressive. But in places with a lot of food or during the breeding season, you can meet their accumulations.
It has been proven that pink dolphins can communicate with each other using clicks, squeals, loud screams and whimpers.
Value in nature
Representatives of this species do not have a special commercial value. In ancient times, their fat was used to fill lamps, as well as a medicine for asthma attacks and rheumatism. Amulets for rituals are made from individual parts of the body.
But for the fishermen, the presence of frost is a good sign. It means the presence of a large number of fish. In addition, pink dolphins drive away dangerous piranhas, making many places in the rivers safer.
Due to the fact that pink dolphins often tear fishing nets and eat the alleged catch, they have been destroyed for a long time. Now these actions are banned, and many species are listed in the Red Book.
Pink dolphins are amazing representatives of the animal world, many of the secrets of the vital functions of which mankind has yet to discover.