Pictures
of
Bottlenose Dolphins
The links below offer some wonderful photos of bottlenose
dolphins for you to view.*
Previews of bottlenose dolphin images
View over 70 pictures of dolphins.
More Dolphin Pictures
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Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops
truncatus)
Facts about Bottlenose Dolphins
Most of the dolphins seen from the shores in the United States
are Bottlenose dolphins. They can be found in oceans all over
the world usually in tropical and temperate
waters. |
Adults range from 6 to
13 feet in length and can weigh from 400
to over 1,000 pounds. Dolphins that live in colder
waters (such as near Scotland) tend to be larger than those
that live in warm waters. The adult males are usually larger
than the females. They are gray in color, darkest on the top
and almost white underneath.
Bottlenose dolphins usually swim 3 to 7 mph but can swim
at a fast speed of 20 to 30 mph. Because they are mammals,
dolphins must rise to the surface to breathe. They breathe
on an average of every 5-8 minutes.
The name Bottlenose came from the appearance of their bottle-shaped
nose. They have cone shaped teeth which they use for catching
food. They do not chew. They eat 10
to 30 pounds of food a day, primarily fish and occasionally
shrimp, crab and squid. |
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The gestation
period for a bottlenose dolphin is about 12 months. Babies
are called calves and are born tail first. They range from
2.5 to 4 feet long. As soon as the calf is born, the mother
helps it rise to the surface to take its first breath. Calves
stay close to their mothers for at least 4 to 5 years. |
| The skin has a rubbery feel and is quite sensitive. It
can be scratched and damaged easily but also tends to heal
quickly. Its smooth texture helps the dolphin to slip easily
through the water along with its streamline body shape.
Bottlenose dolphins can live up to
30 to 40 years old. |
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Bottlenose dolphins are great communicators.
Much research has been done discovering their advanced
communication skills. With a wide variety of vocalizations
(whistles and clicks), it is hypothesized that dolphins may
have a complex language which we hope to someday understand.
We do know that each dolphin has its own signature
whistle which it uses to identify itself. Baby
dolphins soon learn their mother's signature whistle. Also
we have observed that dolphins converse with one another.
Instructions given to one dolphin have been transferred to
a second dolphin who successfully completes the original instructions.
See Facts about Dolphins
Dolphin Echolocation See
an example! |
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