Dolphin pod near Réunion island Sep 12, 2024

Dolphins are highly intelligent and can be found all over the world in oceans, rivers and estuaries. As mammals, dolphins don"t have gills so they can"t breathe underwater. They must surface to inhale and exhale stale air, which they do through blowholes and not their mouths. How long they can hold their breath depends on the species; some can go for 3 to 7 minutes, while others can stay submerged for up to 20 minutes. Because they must always surface, half of dolphins" brains are always active, meaning they never completely fall asleep. Despite being able to exist in an array of environments and water temperatures, dolphins are threatened by a variety of human activities, such as hunting, pollution and fishing.

© Joost van Uffelen/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Sep 12, 2023North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
Sep 12, 2025Spinner dolphin pod

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 2, 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
Mar 31, 2025Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
Nov 12, 2023Mallard ducks
Jan 13, 2026Vale of Clwyd, Wales
Sep 23, 2023Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah, USA
Mar 9, 2026Grey seal sleeping on the beach, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Jul 6, 2025Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, United States
Oct 19, 2024Temple of Hathor, Dendera Temple Complex, Qena, Egypt
Apr 25, 2024Adélie penguins, Antarctica
May 18, 2025Pont St-Pierre across the Garonne River, Toulouse, France
Nov 27, 2024Tombeau du Géant in Bouillon, Belgium
Aug 31, 2023Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona, USA
Mar 14, 2025Dolmen of Sorginetxe, Spain
Aug 9, 2025Letters Square Roundabout, Manaus, Brazil
Aug 14, 2024Thorny devil, Australia
Dec 31, 2024Fireworks over Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada
Sep 19, 2025Thousand Islands region, St. Lawrence River, USA-Canada border
Feb 20, 2025Red deer, Canada
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Oct 26, 2025Pumpkin farm, North Carolina
Dec 8, 2023La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
Dec 21, 2023Ljubljana, Slovenia
Mar 15, 2025The Temple of Saturn, Rome, Italy
Oct 10, 2023Mount Sopris, Colorado, USA
Jul 23, 2024Methoni Castle, Messinia, Greece
Dec 12, 2024Poinsettia flower
Jun 11, 2024A group of Southern gemsbok in the savannah, Botswana, USA
Jun 14, 2025Cinque Torri, Dolomites, Italy
Oct 31, 2025Bran Castle in Bran, Brașov, Romania
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, United States