Bottlenose dolphins have between 72 and 104 teeth. However, these teeth are not used for chewing but rather for catching and holding onto fish and other prey. Since dolphins swallow their prey whole, they don’t use their teeth to chew them.
Dolphins and hunting
Dolphins are known to be skilled hunters, and their teeth play a key role in this process. They use their teeth to catch and hold onto fish, squid, and other prey, and they are able to catch and eat a wide variety of prey items thanks to their efficient hunting skills and the adaptability of their teeth. They use a number of different hunting techniques, depending on the type of prey they are targeting and the environment they are hunting in.
Dolphins hunt in herds, using a technique called “pinwheeling.” In this technique, dolphins will swim in a coordinated group and surround a school of fish, using their bodies to corral the fish into a tighter and tighter space. As the fish become more compact, the dolphins will take turns darting into the school to grab a quick meal.
Pinwheeling is an effective hunting technique used by dolphins to catch and eat a wide variety of fish and other marine animals. It allows them to take advantage of the natural avoidance behavior of their prey and concentrate them in a small area, making it easier to catch and eat them.
Conclusion
Bottlenose dolphins have between 72 and 104 teeth that are used for catching and holding onto prey rather than chewing. They are skilled hunters and use pinwheeling to catch and eat a wide range of prey. These techniques allow them to take advantage of the natural avoidance behaviors of their prey and concentrate them in a small area, making it easier to catch and eat them.
