Bottlenose Dolphin

Description:

The common bottlenose dolphin is grey in color and may be between 2 and 4 m (6.6 and 13 ft) long, and weigh between 150 and 650 kg (330 and 1,400 lb).[9] Males are generally larger and heavier than females. In most parts of the world the adult's length is between 2.5 and 3.5 m (8.2 and 11 ft) with weight ranges between 200 and 500 kg (440 and 1,100 lb).[10][12] Newborn calves are between 0.8 and 1.4 m (2 ft 7 in and 4 ft 7 in) long and weigh between 15 and 30 kg (33 and 66 lb).[10] The dolphins have a short and well-defined snout that looks like an old-fashioned gin bottle, which is the source for their common name.[13] Like all whales and dolphins, though, the snout is not a functional nose, which has evolved instead into the blowhole on the top of their heads. Their necks are more flexible than other dolphins' due to five of their seven vertebrae not being fused together as is seen in other dolphin species.[14]

Habitat:

T. truncatus can be found in the warm and temperate tropical oceans worldwide.[16] Some bottlenose populations live closer to the shore (inshore populations) and others live further out to sea (offshore populations). Generally, offshore populations are larger, darker, and have proportionally shorter fins and beaks. Offshore poulations can migrate up to 4,200 km (2,600 mi) in a season, but inshore populations tend to move less. However, some inshore populations make long migrations in response to El Niño southern oscillation events.[10]

Notes:

Not bad pix for camera phone. Was crashing what looked like Spot or Croaker in surf!!! How do I upload camera phone video?