Dolphins
Dusky dolphin
See all species Dusky dolphins are well known for their energetic and skilful leaping and tumbling activities; they are arguably the most lively dolphins in the world and are master acrobats. Often several dusky dolphins jump together in the same patch of the ocean but facing in multiple directions, rather like accomplished ballerinas performing a…
Read MorePantropical spotted dolphin
See all species Pantropical spotted dolphins are sometimes nicknamed ‘spotters’. The degree of spottiness varies from population to population around the world. Some populations are hardly spotty at all. Baby pantropical spotted dolphins are born spotless. As they grow up, they accumulate light spots on their dark-coloured backs and dark spots on their lighter sides…
Read MoreIrrawaddy dolphin
See all species Irrawaddy dolphins look just like baby beluga whales, only with dorsal fins, but they are not closely related. Irrawaddy dolphins are characterful and have unusually expressive faces. They can spit spouts of water from their mouths into the air. They seem to do this unusual behaviour when socialising and fishing. Other names:…
Read MorePeale’s dolphin
See all species Peale’s dolphins are monochrome beauties endemic to the waters of southern South America. Weighing in at just over a modest 100kg, Peale’s dolphins are actually the largest of the southern hemisphere’s three species of the genus Lagenorhynchus. Harshly persecuted over the years, significant numbers of dolphins were killed by fishermen using them…
Read MoreAtlantic humpback dolphin
See all species With only around 1,500 adults remaining, Atlantic humpback dolphins are critically endangered and in desperate need of protection from burgeoning threats. Atlantic humpback dolphins could become the first species of dolphin to become extinct solely as a result of being hunted and/or eaten, to extinction. Other names: Cameroon dolphin, Teusz’s dolphin Male…
Read MoreClymene dolphin
See all species Leaping and twisting through the air, the truly beautiful Clymene dolphins are aerodynamic wonders. Only recognized as their own distinct species since 1981, Clymene dolphins have long been confused with spinners dolphins, probably , because the species is a result of a past hybridisation event between spinner and striped dolphin. Other names:…
Read MoreChilean dolphin
See all species One of the world’s smallest dolphins, there are thought to be less than 5,000 Chilean dolphins left in the wild. Turning black upon death Chilean dolphins were once known as ‘black dolphins’, as they were more frequently seen dead than alive. Once plucked liberally from the sea by fishermen using them for…
Read MoreIndo-Pacific humpback dolphin
See all species A distinct sub-species, the Taiwanese humpback dolphin lives only in the coastal waters of western Taiwan. They are listed as Critically Endangered and there are thought to be fewer than 50 individuals remaining. Male Female Calf Maximum length 2.8m 2.6m 1m Maximum weight 280kg Unknown Unknown IUCN conservation status: Vulnerable Taiwanese sub-species:…
Read MoreGuiana dolphin
See all species It’s easy to muddle up the Guiana dolphin and tucuxi because they look similar and live in the same part of the world. Recent studies have confirmed that they are genetically distinct separate species. The Guiana dolphin lives in coastal marine habitats and tends not to venture upstream into rivers, and the…
Read MoreFranciscana
See all species The franciscana is a small dolphin with a very long, slender beak – in fact they hold the record for the longest beak in proportion to body size, of any dolphin. The franciscana’s beak is 15 percent of the total body length. Franciscanas live only in the shallow, coastal waters of the southwestern Atlantic of…
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