Frequently Asked Questions

While many dolphin-related projects exist globally, none fully match "People — Dialogues with Dolphins" (PDD Global)™. PDD’s uniqueness lies in its multifaceted approach: it’s not just a scientific or ecological initiative but a social-communication platform uniting research, habitat protection, education, culture, and global interaction.
Most other organizations focus on one or two aspects (e.g., science, ecology, or activism), whereas PDD aims to build a holistic "bridge" between humans and dolphins through a broad range of activities.

Thus, as of now, no direct analogue of PDD Global exists worldwide.

Global Reach:

• English serves as the international language of science and communication
• Russian provides access to a vast Russian-speaking audience (over 258 million speakers)

Scientific Value:

• Access to research and publications from Russian scientists in marine biology
• Opportunity for knowledge exchange between Russian-speaking and English-speaking experts

Conservation Impact:

• Uniting dolphin protection efforts across different world regions
• Coordination of conservation initiatives between Russian-speaking and international organizations

Cultural Exchange:

• Representation of unique cultural perspectives from both language groups
• Development of intercultural dialogue in marine mammal protection

In both cases, the bilingual approach significantly expands the platform's potential audience and effectiveness in achieving its goals of studying and protecting dolphins.

There are currently 49 known species of dolphins and porpoises, which are divided into six families:

• The oceanic dolphin family is the largest, and includes 38 species such as afalins, killer whales, and grinds.
• The porpoise family has 7 species, including the common porpoise and the rare vaquita.
• The remaining 4 families belong to river dolphins, with each family including only one species, such as the Indian river dolphin or the Amazonian bottlenose dolphin.

These animals differ in lifestyle, habitat and anatomical features, but all of them are united by high sociality and a developed ability to communicate.

Sharks, despite their reputation as fearsome marine predators, genuinely fear dolphins. This curious phenomenon has several substantive reasons behind it.
First, dolphins possess significant physical advantages. Their bodies are powerful and streamlined, making them exceptionally fast and maneuverable in water. An adult bottlenose dolphin can reach speeds of up to 23 mph (37 km/h), which exceeds the speed of most shark species. Additionally, dolphins typically travel in groups (called "pods"), giving them a numerical advantage.

Second, dolphins use their hard, bony rostrums (elongated snouts) as effective weapons. When attacking, they can develop tremendous speed and ram sharks in their most vulnerable body parts – the gills and abdominal cavity. Such impacts can cause serious injuries or even lead to the death of a shark.

Third, dolphins possess high intelligence and advanced communication abilities. They coordinate their actions when defending or attacking, making them dangerous opponents even for large predators. When encountering a shark, a group of dolphins often surrounds it and attacks from all sides, leaving no opportunity for escape or counterattack.

There are documented cases where dolphins have deliberately attacked and killed even large sharks, including great whites. In some situations, they do this to protect their calves or pod members. In other cases, dolphins may perceive sharks as competitors for food resources.

Interestingly, some swimmers who found themselves dangerously close to sharks have been saved by dolphins, which formed a protective ring around the human. This phenomenon has been documented by numerous testimonies throughout history.
Thus, sharks' fear of dolphins has a very real foundation and exemplifies how even recognized predators in nature can have their natural adversaries.