The Bottlenose dolphin

​General description

The bottlenose dolphin is a medium-sized cetacean, with a robust, slender but stocky body. It is distinguished by a prominent melon and a relatively short, cylindrical rostrum. Its dorsal fin, positioned in the middle of its back, is sickle-shaped and ends in a marked point. The caudal fin is broad and long, accounting for up to a quarter of the animal's total length. The coloring of the Bottlenose dolphin is light gray, with a darker dorsal cape and a whitish ventral side. In the Caribbean region, pelagic individuals tend to be larger and exhibit darker coloration than their coastal morphotype.

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Habitat

TCosmopolitan, the Bottlenose dolphin frequents tropical, subtropical and temperate regions, whether hot or cold. It adapts to a variety of habitats, evolving in both shallow coastal waters and pelagic areas.

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Diet

Opportunistic, the Bottlenose Dolphin feeds on a wide range of prey, including fish, squid and crustaceans. It adapts its hunting technique to its prey and its environment. For example, it may hunt alone, chasing its prey at high speed, or in groups, using cooperative strategies, such as gathering schools of fish to facilitate their capture. To feed, the Bottlenose Dolphin generally makes short, shallow dives, lasting an average of 1 to 5 minutes, since it seems to spend the majority of its time above 10 meters in depth. However, it is capable of much deeper dives, being able to descend beyond 100 meters below the surface.

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Behavior

Bottlenose dolphin groups vary in size: they generally travel in small groups of 10 to 20 individuals, although they can sometimes be solitary or group together in larger formations. Their average cruising speed is around 11 km/h, but they can reach peaks of 37 km/h. Coastal individuals tend to exhibit sedentary behavior, while pelagic dolphins often undertake long seasonal migrations, traveling up to 4200 km in a year. The bottlenose dolphin is a sociable species, which frequently associates with other cetaceans, such as the Risso's dolphin, the tropical pilot whale, the pseudorcas, the pantropical spotted dolphin and the Fraser's dolphin. It can also interact with pelagic fish.