101 Facts About Dolphins

Airborne and Water Adventures Highlight What's New in the Florida Keys & Key ...

Website features include an extensive collection of photographs of Keys architecture, environment, animal and marine creatures, culture, quirks, sunsets, underwater beauty, local color and more.

Participants can submit their images to be displayed in online galleries and learn from professional Keys-based shooters who share how-to photo tips, their favorite Keys locations and best times of day for photo opportunities.

Visitors also can embark on a Photo Quest, a self-drive itinerary that includes several popular sites for photography in each Keys region.

Several Key Largo hotels are offering reduced-rate accommodations for visitors who want to join round-the-clock efforts to rehabilitate two surviving pilot whales convalescing at the Florida Keys–based Marine Mammal Conservancy .

The “voluntourism” initiative is being aided with specially priced $69 (plus tax) per night rooms for visitors who sign up as volunteers. When the traveler completes at least one four-hour shift, MMC representatives will award the traveler a voucher. The voucher is good for the traveler’s stay for up to five days, Sunday night through Thursday night, and must be presented to the hotel to receive the special rate.

Volunteers help with everything from actually being in the water to support the whales (must be 18 or older), to land-based tasks such as answering phones. Shore duties can be performed by teens under 18.

The whales were transferred to MMC in a semitrailer several days after they survived a May 5 stranding off the Lower Keys.

For a list of accommodations and details, visit .

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A Florida Keys vacation also can be a green vacation. Largo Lodge , located at mile marker (MM) 101 in Key Largo, is the upper Keys’ first lodging property to become part of the Green Living & Energy Education green business certification program.

Largo Lodge offers a sustainable haven and tropical environment on Florida Bay with access to a beach, a wild bird watching area, dock and kayaks. Largo Lodge minimizes water use with drip irrigation and mist emitters for the lush landscaping, designed to shade rooms and reduce energy use for cooling.

The property features nine units that range from single rooms with bath to suites with kitchenettes, sitting room and screened porch.

GLEE’s Green Business Program helps Keys businesses take steps to “green” their operations and build a commercial sustainability network in the Florida Keys.

Dolphin Stuffed Animals

Dolphin Stuffed Animals Interesting Facts About Dolphins

Dolphins are a toothed whale related to the porpoise. There are 37 species that all travel in schools and swim up to 25 miles per hour. The common dolphin is brownish-black on top and white on its belly. They also have stripes of tan or yellow along their sides. They’re found mostly in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic.

Did you know that common dolphins can sleep while swimming by turning off or resting one half of their brain? They close one eye and their breathing slows down.

Bottlenose dolphins are part of the same family as killer whales and pilot whales. They live in warm, temperate waters in North America. They’re dark gray on top of their bodies and lighter underneath. They can be as long as 12 feet with a 3 inch snout. Bottlenose dolphins are easily trained and can often be seen at aquariums. Like all dolphins, they live in schools made up of many other individuals. They love to play by tail splashing and jumping in and out of the water. They hunt in a variety of ways depending on where they are: they hunt in herds in the open ocean where they circle a group of a fish; they may drive a school of fish toward a rocky shore if the dolphins are close to shore themselves; or, they hunt alone.

Another common dolphin is called The Spinner dolphin. It got its name from the mid-air spins they do. They also have more teeth (up to 252) than any other dolphin species. Another interesting dolphin species is the Amazon River dolphins. They have humps instead of fins and can swim upside down, though no one is sure why.

Dolphins are the most fascinating creatures and it’s not hard to watch them for hours and hours. They look perpetually happy with the forever grin their mouths are shaped into. We have a 3.5 foot plush Bottlenose dolphin stuffed animal that is a must have for any dolphin lover.

Source:
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/dolphin-info.htm