Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

Tags: Ocean

Atlantic bottlenose dolphin

What do Atlantic bottlenose dolphins look like?

The Atlantic bottlenose dolphin is a mammal that is light to dark gray in color. They can weigh 300 to 1,400 pounds (135 to 635 kg), and are generally 6 to 12.5 feet (2 to 4 m) long. Male Atlantic bottlenose dolphins may be larger than females. They get their name, because they have long beak-like snouts. Another name for the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin is the common bottlenose dolphin. Dolphins have sharp teeth and breathe through a blowhole. The fin on their back is called a dorsal fin. The fins on their sides are called flippers. Also, they have large tails called flukes. Bottlenose dolphins are the largest of the beaked dolphins.

Where do Atlantic bottlenose dolphins live?

They live in warm, shallow, inland temperate, and tropical oceans or seas. Mother bottlenose dolphins give birth to calves along the Florida coast between February and May. Next the mother and calf remain close until the calf reaches 4 or 5 years of age. After that, the bond is inseparable. When Dave and Amy were kayaking along the East Coast of the United States they saw many bottlenose dolphins. See the story here.

What do Atlantic bottlenose dolphins eat?

In the wild these dolphins eat squid, shrimp, eels, and fish. Thus, they can swim up to 12 miles per hour, which helps them catch their prey. As social animals, they hunt in teams and work in groups as of up to a dozen. Dolphins use sound to communicate, hunt, and navigate. They don’t migrate, but bottlenose dolphins travel widely to find food. Also, they will even travel to seek out preferred water temperatures.

 

 

Atlantic bottlenose dolphin

 

 

 

 

 

Ballenger, L. and T. Lindsley. 2003. "Species: Tursiops truncatus bottlenosed dolphin." University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web.National Aquarium in Baltimore. "Animals Index: Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncates."

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.