Here’s Why Dolphins Are The Most Dangerous Animals In Our Oceans

1. Dolphins are capable of killing sharks

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While we naturally assume that the biggest predator and most terrifying creature in the ocean are sharks, dolphins have the capability to kill sharks and are often actually scared of dolphins. They have strong predatory instincts and are extremely agile meaning that they can out-swim sharks and know how to attack them.

2. A dolphin snout is a natural sword

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A dolphin's snout may contribute to its 'friendly' face. But it's essentially a natural sword. In fact, dolphins swim underneath a shark and swim at the shark's stomach, jabbing the snout inside the stomach. This technique causes the shark severe internal injuries.

3. They can get carried away with their 'playful behavior'

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One of the most dangerous factors of dolphins is their reputation of being a human friend and being super playful. While this is true for the majority of the time, it can actually be the reason they are so dangerous because they can get carried away with their playful behavior, not realizing they are injuring a human.

4. They are very territorial

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Dolphins are very territorial animals, if they think a sea predator is entering their space they will not hesitate to attack. They are feared within the ocean amongst other predators, which shows just how dangerous they are. If someone or something enters a dolphin's territory, they should be scared.

5. They are extremely protective mothers

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Mothers have a very strong maternal instinct and it means that they are extremely protective. This can drive them to be very dangerous if they think anybody or anything is a threat to their calves. They will be willing to attack a threat, and when they attack they cause massive damage.

6. They can misinterpret human behavior

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Dolphins have an extreme affinity for humans, but that doesn't mean that they cannot misinterpret a human's behavior. If a human starts to panic or act erratically, a dolphin could potentially see this as threatening behavior which could cause them to attack.

7. They enjoy chasing people

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Dolphins love to chase people because they have a very playful nature. Whilst they chase people in jest, there are times when the dolphin has become too excited and causes the human harm. Dolphins usually have the best intentions for humans, but they are also capable of inflicting accidental damage.

8. They move very suddenly

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Dolphins are one of the quickest and most agile creatures in the sea, so when they move, they move FAST. In cats, no human would have any time to keep up with a dolphin, and sometimes they can move so fast that they accidentally touch a human with their body whilst moving which causes injury.

9. They approach boats which can cause collisions

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Dolphins are attracted to boats and often go up to the boat or swim alongside it to interact with the humans on board. They are very social and highly emotionally intelligent. But, sometimes a dolphin will get too close to the boat and the boat can end up colliding, causing the boat to become stranded.

10. If provoked, they can react

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A dolphin is in general a friendly creature. But they are still a wild animal, which people forget. If they are provoked, they can react. Their intelligence can also perceive hostile behavior, so if a dolphin is provided by an animal or a human, it can react dangerously!

11. Disorientation can lead to unpredictable behavior

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There are also times in which dolphins can become disorientated or confused and because they are aware that they feel vulnerable in this moment, their natural instinct can be to strike out. If they feel endangered and disorientated they will try and protect themselves.

12. Dolphins tail flukes can cause injury

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The tail flukes on a dolphin are really strong which is the reason the dolphin is such a powerful swimmer. When a dolphin plays or interacts with a human they may turn, unaware of their tail flukes. The contact with a tail fluke of a human feels 100x more powerful than the impact on the dolphin!

13. They can launch outside of the water

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Dolphins have the ability to launch themselves impressively out of the water which they often are seen doing for fun or to impress onlookers. They have been known to jump up to 5 meters out of the water. This skill isn't just for fun however, it also makes them unstoppable at catching prey.

14. They can dive to the bottom of the ocean

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Along with their ability to jump outside of the water, they are also one of the best divers in the sea and have been known to reach depths of around 1,000 meters. They can survive in harsh conditions at the bottom of the oceans, which also makes them even more formidable predators.

15. Their teeth are very sharp

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Dolphins are carnivores, meaning the shape of their teeth is suited to their diet. The pointed teeth are well suited for grabbing the skin of slippery prey such as squid (with thick surfaces), meaning they are razor sharp. If a dolphin uses its jaw and its teeth, it could be fatal.

16. There have been cases of aggressive interactions

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The majority of interactions between humans and dolphins are extremely gentle and friendly. But that doesn't mean that there aren't cases where dolphins have displayed random bouts of aggression or have attacked and even fatally wounded or harmed humans.

17. They are super strong

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Dolphins are so strong, that their muscular build and capacity for strength coupled with their ability to attain speeds of around 60 km means that dolphins CAN be formidable creatures. It is the sheer muscular strength of their tale that enables them to reach such high speeds in the ocean.

18. Dolphins can react to fear

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Dolphins have a cute awareness and emotional intelligence that we cannot even comprehend. When a dolphin senses fear, it could also mean that they take on that emotion and feel fear themselves. But, when an animal is scared they are more unpredictable and possibly dangerous.

19. Dolphins sometimes collide with surfers whilst riding the waves

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The majority of the time, accidents that happen with dolphins are completely unintentional. For example, some of the dangers that are posed by dolphins are when they are riding along on the wave with surfers for social interaction but they accidentally cause a collision.

20. They are not aware of their own strength in comparison to humans

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One thing that many animals struggle with is knowing their own strength in comparison to a human being. This concept is alien to them and so it requires imagination which they perhaps do not have the capacity for. So, a dolphin does not know the limits of play and when they are too strong in comparison to a human's body.

21. They may become dangerous whilst hunting their prey

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Dolphins have a variety of very sophisticated hunting techniques. They use echolocation to locate and track their prey. They also use techniques such as herding, cooperative hunting, and bubble nets (blowing a ring of bubbles to concentrate fish near the surface). They can out-swim, and outsmart most ocean fish!

22. Captive-bred dolphins are more dangerous as they act out

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When you realize just how extraordinary dolphins are, the idea of them being held in captivity is barbaric. And naturally, an animal that is being contained in a situation so severely different from the ocean, they will act out in frustration and anger.

23. Dolphins have extremely high intelligence

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Dolphins are without a doubt one of the most intelligent creatures in the entire animal kingdom. They have a large capacity to learn, they can mimic behavior, and use tools. The bounds of their intelligence are something we do not even fully understand yet. With all highly intelligent creatures, make them more dangerous as they have the capacity to think about their actions and their prey.

24. Males sometimes attack female dolphins

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Sometimes, particularly during mating season, male dolphins can show a high level of aggression towards female dolphins. This is to warn off other competition and biting and striking are common physical displays when the male is vying for the attention of the female.

25. Dolphins aren't smiling

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One of the reasons humans feel such a pull toward dolphins is because they mistakingly bond with a dolphin's 'smiling face'. We as humans read an emotion that isn't there, because a dolphin's face is anatomically structured this way regardless of their emotion and it can create a false sense of friendliness.

26. Dolphins can experience sensory overload, causing them to react badly

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Dolphins have highly developed sensory systems, meaning they are more sensitive to senses than most other animals in the world. This can lead to sensory overload when they are exposed to loud noises or unfamiliar senses and it can make them react in unexpected or unpredictable ways.

27. Dolphins can mistake humans for prey

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Dolphins use their echolocation which refers to their sensory system which is usually extremely accurate. But, sporadic events do happen in which the dolphin confuses its prey for a human and may act aggressively when upon its approach. Dolphins do not seek out humans, but anomalies have been known to occur.

28. The closer dolphins become to humans, the more likely accidents are to happen

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The closer that a dolphin becomes to humans, the more they interact and gain confidence in their presence. However, it has been in these instances that accidents have happened as the dolphin loses sit of the fact that they are interacting with a human (which is much weaker), rather than a dolphin.

29. Dolphins can swim on crowded beaches which can lead to injuries

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As we know, dolphins have a bond with humans. Once a dolphin has become socialized with humans, it may seek out their interactions more and more. But this can cause problems when a dolphin swims to an overcrowded beach where you have a large, powerful creature swimming amongst a lot of people.

30. They can transfer disease

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Dolphins can possibly transfer some diseases to humans. Meaning that if a dolphin and a human come into close contact, or a dolphin bites a human, it could pass on a dangerous disease. It is very rare, however, there have been cases where the zoonotic disease has been spread.