Dolphins need fresh water
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
February 20, 2018 10:47am CST
Dolphins spend their whole lives surrounded by seawater but - because they are mammals - they cannot drink it. Any that they do take in is expelled through their blowholes.
So how do they get their fresh water then? The answer is that they eat fish, and there is enough water in fish to sustain them.
So how does the salt water that the fish ingest become fresh enough to be suitable for dolphins? Now there's a question!
4 people like this
3 responses
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
20 Feb 18
Salt doesn't build up in their bodies that much, because the fish (and squids) metabolize the salt out. When you eat fresh fish from the ocean, does it taste salty to you?
As for river dolphins... they're all set with their fresh water needs!
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
20 Feb 18
Yes, I can see that. I am very fond of fish but dislike the taste of salt, so I would certainly have noticed if this was not the case.
@snowy22315 (208746)
• United States
20 Feb 18
I never knew this. I guess they requre very little water because obviously the fish they are eating are salt water fish who have very little water in their bodies I would think.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
20 Feb 18
Now that's another question, to which I regret I do not - yet - know the answer!
