Common bottlenose dolphins get their name from their short, thick snout (or rostrum).
They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, including harbors, bays, gulfs, and estuaries, as well as nearshore coastal waters, deeper waters over the continental shelf, and even far offshore in the open ocean.
Bottlenose dolphins can thrive in many environments and feed on a variety of prey, such as fish, squid, and crustaceans (e.g., crabs and shrimp). They use different techniques to pursue and capture prey, searching for food individually or cooperatively.
Diet
Fish, Squid, Crab, Shrimp
Population Status | Monterey
Least Concern
Legal Protection
Marine Mammal Protection Act, National Marine Protected Area Act
Threats
Biotoxin (Algal Blooms), Human Related Loss (Habitat Loss, Ocean Noise, Hunting, Food Source Loss, Climate Change, Disturbance, Entanglement, Harassment, Oil Spills, Pollution, Boat Strikes, Collisions)
Size
7’10”-12ft (Female)
8-12’6″ft (Male)
Weight
1,000 lb (Female)
1,100 lb (Male)
BEHAVIORS
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Travel
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Breaching