Bottlenose Dolphin

One of the most common dolphin species, but lovely to watch

The bottlenose dolphin is one of the most common dolphin species in the world. These graceful dolphins are playful and often curious about boats and the people who sit on them.

The bottlenose dolphin is a popular dolphin and best known from the TV series Flipper. This dolphin is found in almost all tropical and temperate seas. They like to live off the coast and are therefore often spotted via special excursions.

These animals are on average about 2 meters long, although bottlenose dolphins of almost 4 meters have been spotted. In dolphinariums you usually come across these species, because they are extremely smart. Fortunately, more and more dolphinariums disappear so that this entertainment gradually disappears.

This dolphin is a welcome guest

Bottlenose dolphins like to swim in the slipstream of boats. So you always have a chance to see them. It is therefore best to sit reasonably in the back of a boat, so that you have a view of the engines. I myself always stare over the water when I am at sea, hoping to spot the famous dolphin fins. That of the bottlenose dolphin is fairly easy to spot; they are sickle-shaped. I also check if it is not a dolphin excursion. And have already spotted several schools with dolphins. Including bottlenose dolphins.
The Latin name is tursiops truncatus. When you go on an excursion you will often hear these names. These animals get quite heavy; up to 500 kilos.

What do bottlenose dolphins eat?

But they can eat all kinds of fish. Special research has shown that these dolphins in England like to eat cod, herring and whiting. But in Scotland they also like to eat salmon and squid. Bottlenose dolphins seem to adapt very well to local conditions. That explains why the animals occur in a large part of the world's oceans.

Best places to see the bottlenose dolphin