What would happen if dolphins didn't exist?

Question

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, HOW WILL THE WORLD BE WITHOUT DOLPHINS?

Answer 1

While it is true that dolphins are indeed a source of happiness for many people and in very rare occasions do interact with people (though accounts of 'saving people' are often misinterpreted and inaccurate), this is not the norm and the ecological effect of removing dolphins from an eco-system would be by far more significant.

Cetaceans are often the apex predators in their community and removing such an animal will always have an effect on the eco-system. Unless they are replaced by a similar species that occupies the same niche as the dolphins did previously, the abundance of prey items will almost certainly increase. As the population of the prey species will increase, they in turn will decimate species they predate/graze on which may have further destructive effects on the eco-system. Something similar happened when sea otters were heavily hunted, their prey, sea urchins increased massively, grazing down the kelp forests which in turn harboured many other marine species. In the worst case this does not self regulate (ie. less kelp, less food therefore less urchins) if the former prey species -in this case the urchin- is very hardy and survives on very little food just grazing down any remains, resulting in urchin barrens. This sort of effect may also affect humans as we share some prey species with cetaceans so it may even affect large scale fishing.

Looking a bit further a field and at cetaceans in general there was actually a recent article on how the decline in blue whales would lead to a fall in krill. As krill is a very important primary producer in the ocean this could have serious consequences, just another example of how no animals is isolated in the food chain...

http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?...

For a similar case, though this time affecting sharks, I suggest reading this article:

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37144

Answer 2

Don't scare me. LOL. My boyfriend nickname me Dolphin!

Ahaha! =]

I don't think he can live without me =D

Answer 3

with a bit of luck they would close down all the marine parks

Marine Mammal Parks - Chlorinated Prisons!!

Answer 4

well, dolphins porpoises and whales are cousins so...where would they be? but dolphins are one of the few creatures who attack and kill sharks, they help shipwrecked humans, they are a source of happiness for many people, they are inquisitive creatures, they are important to the survival of many fish-oriented communities (they work together to bring fish to shore and so thus they all get a meal). so they are very important in many respects. So the world would be a different place. (and personally, i would be a less happy person)