Marine mammal

Bottlenose dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Estuaries, coastal bays, and offshore waters

Photo: NOAA Photo Library · CC BY 2.0 · Source and license. Displayed as a resized crop. Photograph illustrates the species.

Habitat: Estuaries, coastal bays, and offshore waters
Viewing zone: Surface sightings
Viewing activities: Offshore

What to look for

A short, thick beak and gray body are useful starting clues. The back is generally darker than the underside, but size and color vary between coastal and offshore animals; a distant fin alone is insufficient.

What it eats

Prey include fish, squid and crustaceans. Individuals may hunt alone or cooperate to concentrate fish.

Life and behavior

Bottlenose dolphins use sound, including echolocation, to find prey. Feeding them can change their behavior and expose them to boats and fishing gear; observe without offering food.

Field context

Temperate and tropical bays, estuaries and coastal waters, as well as continental-shelf and offshore habitats.

Observing responsibly

Watch from a distance. Offshore refers to boat-based observation, not a recommendation to enter the water.

When to look

The available records do not establish a reliable local viewing season. Use the map’s month filter to inspect dated observations; it does not predict an encounter.

RECORDED PRESENCE

Where has Bottlenose dolphin been recorded?

These destination links use the same area and date cutoff as the map: 40 km circles, except for the four named regional rectangles. Checked 2026-09-19. Counts describe source records, not individual animals or sighting odds.

Sources, search boundaries and limitations