Marine Big 5 - Bottlenose Dolphins

What do bottlenose dolphins look like?

Around Dyer Island, we can encounter the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin which is a sub-species of the bottlenose dolphin.  Their body colour is lighter than that of the Common bottlenose dolphin. Their belly tends to be white and dark spots appear when the animal reaches sexual maturity. The dorsal fin is large and curved. They can measure between 2.4 and 2.5 meters long and weigh between 180 and 230 kg. They are ca be found in coastal waters and are rarely found in waters deeper than 30 meters. Bottlenose dolphins are therefore commonly in contact with human activities. This makes them particularly vulnerable to the alteration or loss of their habitat.

What do Bottlenose dolphins eat?

The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins mainly eat fish and cephalopods (e.g. squid & ocotopus) that can be found in shallow waters but they can also feed on pelagic and off-shore fish species.

Do Bottlenose dolphins like to socialise?

Bottlenose dolphins live in groups from 5 to 15 individuals but can sometimes be seen in groups of 100 animals or more. The society of these dolphins is believed to be quite stable, with closely related females living together, and groups of adult males, with strong bonds, coming to visit them for mating or feeding.

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