Origin
Sea pigs are cetaceans and belong to the family Phocoenidae. They're also called porpoises. They are related to whales and dolphins. Sailors and fishermen mistook them for Dolphins.
The most obvious difference is in the head: porpoises have flat teeth, and dolphins have conical teeth and otherwise arranged mouths. The name originated from medieval Latin. They are divided into six species, found in all oceans near the shore.
Along with dolphins and whales, they are descendants of hoofed animals that adapted to aquatic life 50 million years ago.
The oldest fossils have been discovered in the shallower waters of the northern Pacific.
Sea pig feed
Porpoises are predators and prefer fish, squid and crustaceans.
Although they can descend to depths of 200m they prefer to hunt in shallower waters close to shore.
They are most commonly found in small groups of less than 10 individuals.
Appearance sea pig
Porpoises are smaller animals than dolphins, but more robust. They have small, rounded heads with a short beak compared to Dolphins. Their teeth are spade-shaped. The dorsal fin is triangular, while in dolphins it is curved.
Some species have small bumps known as tubercles on the edge of the dorsal fin. The role of these bumps is unknown.
These animals are the smallest cetaceans, reaching up to 1.5 m. the weight varies from species to species, the lightest porpoise belongs to the finless breed and has 30-45 kg, and the heaviest belongs to the Dall species weighing 130-200kg.
Due to their small size, they give up heat in contact with water faster than other cetaceans. The robust shape that makes the animal somewhat more compact, can be an adaptation to reduce heat loss.
A thick lard also insulates their body from low temperatures. Small size urges them to eat often, depending on the fat reserves they have.
Behavior of the sea pig
The sea pig is a good swimmer, the Dall species is known as one of the fastest cetaceans.
They can reach speeds of 55 km / h and can also be as good acrobats as dolphins. The main threat of sea pigs are fishing nets.
They rarely survive in captivity because they are not able to adapt to life in the pool, nor can they train as easily as dolphins.
They're a little more difficult. It is known that a group of porpoises rescued a man named Van Dyke.
They communicate through a variety of sounds they emit.
Breeding the sea pig
Sea pigs have many similarities compared to dolphins, but they mate much earlier than dolphins.
Most species become pregnant with only one cub each year and the gestation period lasts about 11 months.
Puppies at first are breastfed by the female.
Porpoises have a longevity between 8 and 10 years, but there are known specimens that have reached the age of 20 years.
