Seawater is salty and cannot be drunk directly, how do dolphins replenish water?

Dolphins need water to survive and function, but in the ocean, they cannot drink seawater directly. So how do dolphins rehydrate?

Dolphins are marine mammals belonging to the suborder Cetacea, with about 17 genera and 40 species of dolphins, distributed in shallow waters of all the world's oceans. Dolphins are a very important part of the marine ecosystem and play an important role in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem.

Dolphins have a unique appearance, usually gray or black in color, with an elongated body and strong swimming ability.

Picture 1 of Seawater is salty and cannot be drunk directly, how do dolphins replenish water?
Dolphins are marine and river mammals closely related to whales.

Dolphins have a round head with a wide mouth filled with sharp teeth that help them swallow their prey. Dolphins have cute, round eyes that are relatively large compared to their heads. Dolphins also have dorsal and caudal fins that help them swim quickly in the water.

Dolphins live mainly in shallow ocean waters and eat fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. They are highly intelligent animals with very high IQs.

Picture 2 of Seawater is salty and cannot be drunk directly, how do dolphins replenish water?
Dolphins can range in size from 1.2m and 40kg, to 9.5m and 10 tonnes.

Some dolphins can communicate in simple language, and may engage in various shows and swims. Additionally, dolphins make a variety of sounds, including squeals, whistles, and squeals. These sounds help them communicate and locate themselves.

However, due to overhunting, ocean pollution, and other reasons, many dolphin populations have declined dramatically . Currently, about 14 dolphin populations are listed as endangered.

To protect these beautiful creatures, many countries have taken various measures, including banning the killing of dolphins, designating protected areas, and increasing marine environmental protection. These measures can help restore dolphin populations and maintain the balance of marine ecosystems.

Picture 3 of Seawater is salty and cannot be drunk directly, how do dolphins replenish water?
Dolphins are found worldwide and usually inhabit the shallow seas of the continental shelf. Dolphins are carnivores, feeding mainly on fish and squid. The oceanic whale family Delphinidae is the largest family of dolphins and also the most recent: about 10 million years ago, in the Miocene.

Dolphins need water to survive and function, but in the ocean, they cannot drink seawater directly. So how do dolphins rehydrate?

Dolphins can absorb fresh water in a small amount of seawater through the "electro-osmotic membrane method" , its epidermis, oral cavity and internal cavity mucosa are all semi-permeable membranes, which can help it desalinate a small amount of seawater.

In addition, dolphin skin also has a layer of oil, which can help dolphins maintain water temperature, prevent dehydration, thus having a water retention effect.

Picture 4 of Seawater is salty and cannot be drunk directly, how do dolphins replenish water?
Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals and are well known in human culture for their friendly appearance and playful and playful attitude towards humans.

The waste products produced by dolphin metabolism include urine and feces, which contain a lot of water. Because dolphins have such a strong metabolism, they can also rehydrate themselves by reabsorbing some of the water in their feces.

The way dolphins eat also affects their hydration. Generally, dolphins' food contains a certain amount of water , and dolphins consume a large amount of fish as food every day, and these fish contain water in their bodies.

When dolphins swallow fish, they also ingest the water in the fish, thus replenishing the water needed by their bodies. Additionally, when prey contains less water, dolphins use their own metabolism to break down and extract water from the food.

In some special cases, dolphins may not be able to take in enough water, such as when food sources are insufficient. In this case, dolphins will break down stored fat into water and energy.

While this approach provides the necessary hydration, it also depletes the body's energy reserves.

Picture 5 of Seawater is salty and cannot be drunk directly, how do dolphins replenish water?
Dolphins are highly adaptable and flexible when it comes to hydration.

When dolphins swallow food, they do not swallow seawater along with the food. Dolphins have a special mouth, they separate the food and seawater, swallowing only the food and expelling most of the seawater to avoid absorbing too much seawater and salt.

Even if they ingest small amounts of seawater, dolphins can still excrete excess salt through their powerful kidney systems.

In general, dolphins are highly adaptable and flexible when it comes to hydration . They can use water from food, break down fat to extract water, and reduce the accumulation of salt in their bodies by avoiding seawater.

These methods help dolphins maintain their health and allow them to adapt to a variety of marine environments. At the same time, dolphins have an efficient physiological structure and living habits, allowing them to replenish water in a variety of ways, thereby maintaining the normal functioning of their life activities.