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How to Tell Male & Female Dolphins Apart

It's not always easy to tell if you are looking at a male or female dolphin in the wild. The sexes look identical at a glance. Even in an aquarium, you can tell only by looking at the dolphin's underside. Due to streamlining, their reproductive organs are inside their bodies. Dolphins live in all of the world's oceans, and range widely across open seas to find food. They mainly feed on small fish and squid.

Instructions

- 1
  Look at the underside of the dolphin. If you have direct access to the dolphin, try to convince it to turn over.
- 2
  Look for the urogenital opening. It's a long slit located on the dolphin's abdomen, between the belly button and tail.
- 3
  If the opening is located closer to the tail and has a pair of smaller slits on both sides, the dolphin is female. These mammary slits conceal the female dolphin's nipples. If the opening is located closer to the belly button and has no extra slits, it's a male.

Animals & Science