Common Dolphin

Fascinating facts about the Common Dolphin

• Six million common dolphins ripple through the world's oceans, making them the most abundant cetacean on the planet. Their numbers dwarf most marine mammals, yet they still face massive losses: nearly 400 strandings were recorded on France's west coast in just three months, and scientists estimate up to 10,000 may die each year there. This contrast shows that even the world's most plentiful dolphin can be pushed toward decline if bycatch and habitat threats aren't curbed.
• Pods of common dolphins can swell to staggering sizes: typical groups hold hundreds, but when several pods merge they form mega-pods of over 10,000 individuals.
• Bycatch claims roughly a thousand short-beaked common dolphins each year in the North Atlantic, with a hotspot in Galicia where 394 individuals were caught annually between 2001 and 2002. Most of these were males averaging 13 ± 4.4 years old.
• Female common dolphins carry a calf for 10-12 months; the newborn is 3 feet long and weighs 25-35 lb. They reach sexual maturity after 12-15 years.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia
• Animal Diversity Web

At a glance

About the Common Dolphin

In the sun-drenched waters of the open ocean, the common dolphin dances with effortless elegance, its sleek, grey form slicing through the waves with a fluidity that belies its remarkable agility. As it moves, its dorsal fin slices the surface, leaving behind a trail of shimmering, turbulent water that marks its passage through the marine landscape. With a curious, social nature that draws it to the company of others, the common dolphin weaves a complex, underwater tapestry of interaction and play.

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