Two dolphins with their heads above water, appearing to interact with each other
Shutterstock.com (Pod); Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo (Leaping); Bullit Marquez/AP Images (Social); PETA/MEGA/Newscom (Delle); Edge Productions/MEGA/Newscom (Swimming); Shutterstock.com (Controller); EDGE INNOVATION (Charging)
Alike and Different,

Which Is the Robot Dolphin?

One of these dolphins is real. The other is a robot that looks like a dolphin. Can you tell them apart? (Look to the bottom of the page for the answer.)

By Janice Behrens
From the May/June 2026 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will compare and contrast a real dolphin with a robot dolphin.

Lexiles: 460L
Featured Skill: Compare and contrast

Standards

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Real Dolphins

What Are They?

Shutterstock.com

Dolphins are very smart animals that live in the sea. They have a long snout and a fin on their back. Dolphins live in groups called pods. They travel in the ocean together.


How do they move?

Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo

As soon as they are born, baby dolphins can swim. All dolphins use their strong tails to go fast. They can even leap out of the water.


What do they need?

Bullit Marquez/AP Images

Dolphins need a lot to be healthy. They need fish to eat. They need a lot of space to swim. Plus, dolphins are social animals. They do not like to live alone.
They need friends!


Robot Dolphin

What is it?

PETA/MEGA/Newscom

This is Delle, the robot dolphin. It looks and feels like a real dolphin! It was made for people to see at marine parks. Those are places people visit to see sea animals.


How does it move?

Edge Productions/MEGA/Newscom

Delle swims like a real dolphin. It can swim up to visitors so they can pet it. But Delle does not move by itself. People make it move with a remote control.


What does it need?

EDGE INNOVATION

It is easy to keep Delle. The robot does not need to eat. It does not need a lot of space. And it does not need dolphin friends. But it does need to get its battery charged! 


Answer: The robot dolphin is on the right (header image). The other dolphin is real.

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