Order: Cetacea

Family: Delphinidae

Size: Length- 7.5 to 12.5 ft (2.3-3.8 m)

Weight: 330 to 1433 lb (150-650 kg)

Key Features: The head and trunk are robust growing slimmer behind the dorsal fin. Snout demarcated from the bulbous forehead by a sharp crease. Beak is short and stubby. Dorsal fin is moderately tall and triangular or sickle shaped, flippers are rather long. Colour is dark grey on the back, lighter grey on the flanks, graduating to white or pink on the belly. Some specimens have spots on them. There are 18 to 26 pairs of teeth in each jaw

Voice: High-pitched whistles and clicks

Breeding: Single calf born every 4 to 5 yrs after gestation period of 1 yr. Weaned at 4 to 5 yrs; females sexually mature at 5 to 12 yrs, males at 10 to 12 yrs. May live up to 50 yrs in the wild

Diet: Large variety of food including fish, squid, octopus, cuttlefish and molluscs

Habitat: There are two forms of this dolphin, one coastal and the other offshore. The species may be found in depths from 15 to 1000 m or more.

Habits: This species is best known to the general public due to exhibitions in dolphinaria, films and television. It is also attracted to human activities. Bottlenose Dolphin herd cooperate and communicate between themselves when hunting for food. They eat almost any fish they catch. In cooperative defence, they are known to ram the predator with their beaks or heads especially large sharks. They can reach speeds of 25 km/h. They often mix with other dolphin species.

Conservation Status: The species is listed as ‘least concern’ globally on IUCN red list.

Distribution in Gujarat: Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has recorded Bottle-nose Dolphin from the Gujarat Coast and even studies done previously by researchers does not rule out presence of Bottle-nose Dolphin in Gujarat waters as such there are no reporting or stranding of this species occurred in Gujarat.

 

 

 

 

 

References:

• Singh, H.S. (2003). Sea mammals in marine protected area in the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat State, India, Indian Journal of Marine Sciences, Vol. 32(3), pp. 258-262.

• “Gulf of Kachchh favourite dolphin playground”. Times of India, Ahmedabad. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-10-06/ahmedabad/28090512_1_national-aquatic-animal-dolphins-hs-singh

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