© Richard Barrett / WWF-UK
Dolphins and porpoises
Dolphins and porpoises delight us with their playful antics and warm our hearts with their friendly faces. Marine species are the most well-known, but there are several species that live in freshwater rivers. All are air-breathing, warm-blooded mammals that nurse their young. The difference between a dolphin and a porpoise has to do with their appearance: dolphins have longer snouts, bigger mouths, more curved dorsal fins, and longer, leaner bodies than porpoises.
At a glance
- Habitats
- Oceans, freshwater rivers
The dolphin and porpoise family
© WWF Greater Mekong
Irrawaddy dolphins
© WWF-Pakistan
Indus River dolphins
© Michel Gunther / WWF-Canon
Yangtze finless porpoises
© Shutterstock / Aommychali
Hector's dolphins
© François Xavier Pelletier / WWF-Canon
Ganges river dolphins
© naturepl.com / Doug Perrine / WWF
Common bottlenose dolphins
© Thomas A. Jefferson
Vaquitas
© naturepl.com / Kevin Schafer / WWF-Canon
Amazon river dolphins
News and stories
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Three endangered Indus river dolphins safely tagged in Pakistan
Why they matter
© Jürgen Freund / WWF-Canon
Dolphins and porpoises are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall balance of the marine environment. They can tell us a lot about the health of the ocean, such as the presence of pollution or the decline in fish. They are also very popular with tourists.
Experts
How you can help
© WWF
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