The intelligence, sociability and grace of the dolphin has made this remarkable mammal a source of people's fascination and affection for thousands of years. Dolphins are members of the cetacean family, which also includes whales and porpoises. There are more than 30 species of dolphin, a few of which can be seen off British shores.
Most dolphins are social animals, often living in groups of several hundred.
They normally give birth to a single calf which is almost half the length of its mother. It is able to swim immediately and is fully weaned at 18 months. There are a number of places, such as Monkey Mia in Western Australia, where wild dolphins have become a tourist attraction and large numbers of people come to see and swim with them. In Britain, bottlenose dolphins are thought to be resident all year round in the Moray Firth, Cardigan Bay and off the coasts of Cornwall and Dorset. They can also be seen frequently around the Hebrides.