Bottlenose DolphinOf all the dolphins, the bottlenose dolphin is probably the best known. They are the most commonly seen species in many open water and harbour areas around both Australia and the rest of the world. There is usually considered to be 2 different species; The ‘Oceanic Bottlenose’ is the classic bottlenose. It is fairly plain grey, slightly paler underneath if seen. It is about 3 metres long and larger than the other species. They are famous for being playful and may feed around boats, rides bow waves of boats. The ‘Long-beaked Bottlenose Dolphin’, is also called the ‘Indo-Pacific' or ‘Inshore’, and is smaller than the oceanic, at about 2 metres long. It is found more in inshore warmer waters around coastal Australasia, eastern Polynesia, south-east Asia, and Africa. These are dolphins that come into Monkey Mia, West Australia.
If you see a smaller version on the Great Barrier Reef, or other areas around reefs in the tropics, you are probably looking at 'spinner dolphins'.
Where can I see a Bottlenose Dolphin?In the ocean!
Monkey Mia is most famous for its bottlenose dolphins coming into shore.
Spinner dolphins are seen in tropical waters, around the Great Barrier Reef, New Guinea and Hawaii.
For another website with more specific information on bottlenose dolphins, click here.
The information above includes edited extracts from the book:
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