# Yes! Dolphins and Whales have hair all over their body! Cuz they are Mammals! Jeez! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 9, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447 "2004-06-09T14:29:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/1 "2004-06-09T14:29:36Z")
I went to a function at the [Aquarium](http://www.mysticaquarium.org/) near my home last evening… and I overheard this conversation: _Insert thick Brooklyn Accesnt here_ Look at the fish! See Billy, Look at the big fishy! Oh…WOW!! Daddy…Look at the Big Fish…What kinda fish is it?! It’s a Dolphin Fish…Billy… Phlosphr thinks to himself: _Ok I’m not going to go and correct the gentleman, if he wants to tell his kid this dophin is a fish…fine! No biggy…_ Ok I just can’t do that! I worked in an large aquarium for quite a while during my undergrad…and I truly believe people should be informed right? So going against my instinct I walked over and informed the man and his son that these dolphins, and infact all whales, dolphins, and porpoises are mammals and there fore have mammary glands, fur covering their entire body, and give birth to live young. So not fish…but mammals. Dumbfounded the man look at me and said…“Ohhh…really??? thats nice…” And walked away…I shrugged and walked the other direction towards the Pinnipeds. … Was I wrong to inform this man? Shouldn’t people want to teach their children correct info? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/2 "2004-06-09T14:50:54Z")
[ol] [li]Little Billy might have been a little too young to understand.[/li][li]Little Billy might barely have a grasp on which end of his anatomy to insert a peanut butter sandwich into, & can’t deal with the concepts.[/li][li]Hi **Opal**! [/li][li]Big Daddy might not appreciate being made to look like a dinglefwat in front of Little Billy. Little **Phlosphr** _might_ be really lucky that Big Daddy didn’t poke him in the schnozzola, if Brooklyn’s rep is anything close to true.[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/3 "2004-06-09T15:24:19Z")
He kinda just had a duncical, doltish look on his face. His son was probably, 10ish…Had he poked me in the schnoz, I’d have pushed him in the tank 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/4 "2004-06-09T15:44:01Z")
May I just say that the adverb ‘duncical’ may look awkward on the page, but has a very excellent ring when spoken aloud. Thank you, Phlosphr. Oh, hey, you wanna buy a vowel? ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/5 "2004-06-09T17:21:16Z")
Though you may have made the father look dumb, you were just doing your part in the fight against ignorance. Not everyone is as good a soldier as you. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/6 "2004-06-09T17:38:38Z")
Thanks Flander…I do my best. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/7 "2004-06-09T18:11:26Z")
All mammals have hair Whales are mammals Therefore, whales have hair. Shave the whales. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/8 "2004-06-09T18:15:05Z")
See the dinglefwat’s response [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260677)😃 ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/9 "2004-06-09T18:22:56Z")
Ahem, **Bosda**? **Hi Opal** should only be used when the list consists of two entries, hence it being the third term. I would have thought a 99’er like yourself would have known that. As for the Brooklyn Dolphin man, If people still think dolphins are fish and not mammals then by gosh, we’ve gotta fight that ignorance. Good on you **Phlosphr** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jenny\_Haniver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Jenny\_Haniver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenny_Haniver)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/10 "2004-06-09T18:25:32Z")
Ok, so I’m an idjit. Dolphins and Whales have _hair_!? Woah! But…but…they feel all smooth! Can somebody please link to a closeup of whale hair or something? I gotta see this. :o ---
**Author:** ![Jenny\_Haniver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Jenny\_Haniver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenny_Haniver)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/11 "2004-06-09T18:28:44Z")
I just wanted to add that I did know dolphins and whales were mammals. I just never thought of them as being hairy. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/12 "2004-06-09T18:35:06Z")
The hair is concentrated mainly around the genitalia area, so you’ll have to do a search for “dolphin porn” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/13 "2004-06-09T18:35:09Z")
Well, no, they _don’t_ have fur covering their entire body. In the _cetacea_, hair is generally only sparsely found near the lips in teh form of coarse bristles, and almost nowhere else. In some species, it is only found on juveniles. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/14 "2004-06-09T18:41:31Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > In some species, it is only found on juveniles. And even then, it’s those thug juveniles who grow those pathetic little wispy mustaches so they look like porn stars/child molesters/cops. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/15 "2004-06-09T18:41:59Z")
The hair must get pretty long and unruly, because a quick google on “Dolphin hair” turned up a whole bunch of hair clips and scrunchies. ---
**Author:** ![Jenny\_Haniver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Jenny\_Haniver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenny_Haniver)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/16 "2004-06-09T18:50:16Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > The hair is concentrated mainly around the genitalia area, so you’ll have to do a search for “dolphin porn” or something like that. … I retract my request for a closeup, wholly and unreservedly. That goes double for closeups of dolphin porn featuring scrunchies. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/17 "2004-06-09T18:55:40Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > \ Daddy…Look at the Big Fish…What kinda fish is it?! \ > His son was probably, 10ish\ I just wanted to add that if the kid was 10ish and could not identify a dolphin on sight, the fight against ignorance is lost with regard to this family… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/18 "2004-06-09T19:06:19Z")
In addition to filtering food, the baleen can also assist with comb-overs. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/19 "2004-06-09T19:14:39Z")
> [@The Man With The Golden Gun](#): > > All mammals have hair > Whales are mammals > Therefore, whales have hair. > Shave the whales. Shaving the whales may result in whale pattern baldness. [sub]Thanks to Doktor Fluff[/sub] Robin ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447/20 "2004-06-09T19:25:12Z")
In the interest of full disclosure and ignorance-fighting, it should probably be pointed out that there are, in fact, “[Dolphin Fish](http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Coryphaena_hippurus.html)”, which are well and truly fish. See also [here](http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/dolphin.html). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-dolphins-and-whales-have-hair-all-over-their-body-cuz-they-are-mammals-jeez/249447.md?page=2)