Order: Cetacea

Family: Delphinidae

Size: Length- 5.5 to 8 ft (1.7-2.4 m), Southeast Asian species is smaller about 4.5 ft (1.4 m) long

Weight: 100 to 165 lb (45-75 kg), Southeast Asian species weigh around 48 lb (22 kg)

Key Features: Spinner Dolphin has slender body with head slopes gently towards the snout; with well defined crease at the junction of the melon and the beak. Dorsal fin is sickle-shaped becoming more erect with age; back is dark and belly is white with a band of intermediate pale grey separating the two. Most of them have a dark stripe from the eye to the flipper, and dark lips and beak tip. They have over 45 to 65 sharply pointed teeth in each row.

Voice: Clicks and whistles

Breeding: Single calf born about every 3 yrs after gestation period of 10.5 months. Weaned at 1 to 2 yrs; females sexually mature at 4 to 7 yrs, males at 7 to 10 yrs. May live up to about 50 yrs

Diet: Fish and squid

Habitat: It is primarily found in pelagic zones and sometimes wander into shelf waters

Habits: Active fast swimming dolphin, species got its name from its habit of leaping out of the water and spinning longitudinally up to 7 times. They will often bow ride; swims in group of usually around 30 animals. They are often found in association with tuna.

Conservation Status: It is lower risk conservation dependent

Distribution in Gujarat: As such there is no direct reporting of Spinner Dolphin is reported in Gujarat waters but there are reporting of this species from neighbouring country Pakistan as well as Mumbai coast. Moreover they are reported to form more than 44% of the dolphin catches on the west coast of India. This all provides substantial proof of Spinner Dolphin frequenting the coastal areas of Gujarat though more field research is required concerning it.

 

 

 

 

 

References:

• Sathasivam, K. (2004). Marine Mammals of India. Universities Press (India) private limited. Hyderabad. Pp: 40

• Marine Mammals Facts Courtesy: Animal Fact Files- Mammals. The Brown Reference Group Plc.