River dolphin

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/river-dolphin

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How many people live in the River dolphin?Many species are critically endangered or extinct, with populations severely reduced
2. What is the scientific name?Includes families Platanistidae, Iniidae, Pontoporiidae, and the extinct or possibly extinct Lipotidae
3. What is the habitat?Exclusively freshwater rivers and brackish water estuaries in South America and Asia
4. What makes river dolphins different from ocean dolphins?River dolphins live in rivers and brackish water, have smaller bodies, little blubber, and flexible necks for tight turns. They also have less blubber because their waters are warmer.
5. How do river dolphins find food in murky water?They use echolocation, sending high‑frequency clicks and listening for the echoes. This lets them see with sound when the water is dark or full of sediment.

Polyphyletic group: A group of organisms that do not share a recent common ancestor but have evolved similar traits independently.
Echolocation: A biological sonar system used by dolphins to navigate, hunt, and perceive their environment through sound.
Sexual dimorphism: Distinct physical differences between males and females of the same species.
Anthropogenic pressures: Environmental problems caused or influenced by human activities.