When a dolphin dives, blood is shunted away from the surface of the body. During prolonged exercise or in warm water, a dolphin may need to dissipate body heat. In this case, circulation increases to veins near the surface of the flippers, flukes, and dorsal fin, and decreases to veins returning blood to the body core. A countercurrent heat exchange system in the flippers, flukes, and dorsal fin help dolphins maintain body temperature. In general, bottlenose dolphins have a higher metabolic rate than land mammals of similar size.
Mammals lose body heat when they exhale.
Mammals lose body heat when they exhale. Soviet researchers have shown that deep sleep in bottlenose dolphins may occur in only one brain hemisphere at a time. Inc. All Rights Reserved.