can dolphins live in fresh water?

Question

and if not, how long could they live?

Answer 1

yes.

they are mammals and do not breathe underwater.

they take in air at the surface, so it does not matter what type of water they live in.

Answer 2

Actually, some of the previous answers are at least half correct. yes, dolphins are mammals that breathe air and obviously not underwater. yes, they can live in fresh-water, but only if they are a breed of 'fresh-water dolphins' most commonly found in the rivers and large streams that spider through the Amazon. There are 5 breeds that fall under this class of fresh-water dolphins & 33 that fall under the salt-water category. If a salt-water dolphin were to be suddenly introduced into a freshwater environment, it would most likely die within a few hours and vice versa. As far as I know, there is NO dolphing that can live in both fresh and salt-water environments.

Answer 3

The sea dolphins cannot live in fresh water but there are some varities of fresh water dolphins ... Commonly known as ‘Susu’, the Ganges (INDIA) River Dolphins are among the four freshwater Dolphins found in the world - the other three are the Baiji found in the Yangtze river in China, the Bhulan of the Indus in Pakistan and the Buto of the river Amazon in Latin America.

Answer 4

Indus & Ganges River Dolphins

Scientific Name: Platanista gangetica
Other Names: Susu, Bhulan
Length: 5-8.3 ft. (1.5-2.5 m.)
Weight: 155-200 lbs. (70-90 kg.)
Teeth: 104-150
Other than telling day from night, their eyesight is insignificant. They have limber bodies, paddle like flippers, flexible necks, long beaks, and their teeth are needle sharp. They also swim and vocalize round the click with no apparent rest period.

Amazon River Dolphin

Scientific Name: Inia geoffrensis
Other Names: Boutu
Length: 6-8.3 ft. (1.8-2.5 m.)
Weight: 185-355 lbs. (85-160 kg.)
Teeth: 90-140
The amazon river dolphin is the largest freshwater dolphin. It has small eyes, but still has a keen eyesight. The beak is unusually long and the flippers are very broad. Amazon river dolphins sometimes associate with tucuxi dolphins.

Answer 5

Yes, there is auctually an Asian dolphin found in only rivers. The reason why is that Dolphins are air breathing mammals like you and me. However, this depends on whether the dolphin will eat the food provided in the freashwater area.

Answer 6

Apparently they can, since there are types of dolphins that are actually found in fresh water. There is one found in the Yangtzee that is pink!

Answer 7

some dolphins can for short periods of time.

Answer 8

yes they can
visit
www.wcug.wwu.edu/~narf/dolp/riverd.shtml