Dolphins caught in these nets often cannot get to the surface to breathe, so they drown. International efforts are under way to stop drift net fishing. Despite the problems facing toothed whales, bottlenose dolphins are very numerous along the southeastern coast of the United States. They can be seen traveling in small pods near almost any beach or in tidal creeks. The bottlenose dolphin may be the most familiar of all whales since they are common performers at large marine aquariums.
Dolphins feed mostly on fish.
They can be seen herding fish in teams much like cowboys herding cattle. Some scientists are trying to learn the language of whales in order to understand their behavior better. Dolphins and other whales usually have only one calf every other year. The calves are born tail-first and then quickly boosted to the surface by the mother for their first breath of air. Other females in a pod will often care for the newborn calf.