2006-07-15 07:08:59 · 20 answers · asked by Piku 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
They overheat.
Dolphins are evolved to live in water, which is much, much more efficient at removing body heat than is the air. To counteract this, dolphins and whales have a thick layer of insulating fat beneath the skin.
But air acts as a good thermal insulator in its own right. So when you take a dolphin out of the water, their internal heat builds up rapidly with no water to carry the heat away. This can be delayed for a while if you keep the skin wet, but it's just a temporary measure.
2006-07-15 16:38:27 · answer #1 · answered by Keith P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dolphins like whales can not survive for any significant length of time out of water for two reasons. The first is that the skin is used to being bathed in water and rapidly drys out. Second and more importantly, the water acts as a kind of bouyant support offsetting the weight of the animal. Once out of water the animals internal organs are exposed to the full weight of the body which can easily crush organs or compress the lungs causing injury or suffocation.
2006-07-15 22:11:42 · answer #2 · answered by j A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being mammals only says that they have mamal glands to feed their young. It doesn't mean that they give birth, because there are two species of mammals that lay eggs.
As for the dolphins and other marine mammals, they need water to survive. I don't know how, but it apparently increases the oxygen intake while they are surrounded my water.
2006-07-15 16:24:10 · answer #3 · answered by cristy7_pr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mammals breathe air, are warm blooded, usually give live birth, usually have hair. That description says nothing about where they live.
The water is their natural environment. Outside of it, they will die, just as you would if you were to put into the ocean (dehydration probably). Their skin can dry out quickly when outside the water. Their bodies can overheat rapidly when out of the water. In some cases they can be crushed under their own body weight since the aquatic environment helps to support their bodies.
2006-07-15 14:15:09 · answer #4 · answered by practical thinking 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because even though they are a mammal that does not mean that they are land mammals, they are aquatic creatures they have to breath air to survive but cannot live out of the water.
2006-07-15 14:11:05 · answer #5 · answered by aqurious_chic06 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being a mammal not mean to live in water and land , being a mammal means to give birth and milk the babies.
2006-07-15 14:13:18 · answer #6 · answered by omar g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dolphins would overheat and die if taken out of water for a long time. They breathe air, but they live in the water which keeps them cool.
2006-07-15 14:21:48 · answer #7 · answered by RenoDeano 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mammal term does not refer to land animal, it refers to animals giving birth to their beings instead of eggs with few exceptions of-course.
Even though they are mammals they need water to live.
2006-07-15 14:12:06 · answer #8 · answered by an_eagles_eyes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is because they are aquatic mammals. Being a mammal only implies that the animal gives birth and doesnt lay eggs.It doesnt mean that it should breathe on land.
2006-07-15 14:11:25 · answer #9 · answered by EST-A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Their skin dries out and sunburns, they dehydrate and go into shock.
Their internal organs don't have the built in support like terrestrial vertebrates. When they're in the water they are essentially weightless. Outside of the water the weight of their bodies slowly destroys their organs by impairing blood flow to and from them.
2006-07-16 13:19:36 · answer #10 · answered by corvis_9 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋