Bottlenose Dolphin
The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most well-known species of dolphin. They have a stocky, torpedo-shaped body, a short beak and pointed flippers and are usually dark grey on the back with paler grey flanks and a white or pinkish belly. The sickle-shaped dorsal fin is tall and positioned centrally on the back. Variations in the shape of the dorsal fin along with scars and other markings on the skin can help researchers to identify individuals.
The Bottlenose Dolphin is found in coastal waters of most temperate, tropical and subtropical areas. Around the UK, it occurs in the English Channel, in the Moray Firth in north-east Scotland and in Cardigan Bay in Wales.
Although lone individuals do occur, Bottle-nosed Dolphins are very sociable animals which usually live in groups numbering between 10 and 100 individuals. They engage in much energetic behaviour, including breaching (clearing the water), lobtailing (slapping the tail flukes down onto the surface of the water) and bow-riding (riding the swell created in front of boats and even large whales).
The Bottlenose Dolphin faces a number of threats including human disturbance, entanglement in fishing nets and hunting. Like all cetaceans, they are also vulnerable to chemical and noise pollution. The captivity industry that supplies the world aquarium trade is also a problem.
The Bottlenose Dolphin is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species and it is protected in UK waters by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Orders 1985. It is illegal to intentionally kill, injure, or harass any cetacean (whale or dolphin) species in UK waters.
The Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans in the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS), has been signed by 7 European Countries including the UK. Provision is made under this agreement to set up protected areas, promote research and monitoring, pollution control and increase public awareness.
Under Annex II of the EC Habitats Directive, candidate marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACS) are being set up for this species in Cardigan Bay (Wales) and the Moray Firth (north-east Scotland).
Date: 12th June 2011
Location: Moray Firth (from Chanonry Point), Inverness-shire
The Bottlenose Dolphin is found in coastal waters of most temperate, tropical and subtropical areas. Around the UK, it occurs in the English Channel, in the Moray Firth in north-east Scotland and in Cardigan Bay in Wales.
Although lone individuals do occur, Bottle-nosed Dolphins are very sociable animals which usually live in groups numbering between 10 and 100 individuals. They engage in much energetic behaviour, including breaching (clearing the water), lobtailing (slapping the tail flukes down onto the surface of the water) and bow-riding (riding the swell created in front of boats and even large whales).
The Bottlenose Dolphin faces a number of threats including human disturbance, entanglement in fishing nets and hunting. Like all cetaceans, they are also vulnerable to chemical and noise pollution. The captivity industry that supplies the world aquarium trade is also a problem.
The Bottlenose Dolphin is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species and it is protected in UK waters by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Orders 1985. It is illegal to intentionally kill, injure, or harass any cetacean (whale or dolphin) species in UK waters.
The Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans in the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS), has been signed by 7 European Countries including the UK. Provision is made under this agreement to set up protected areas, promote research and monitoring, pollution control and increase public awareness.
Under Annex II of the EC Habitats Directive, candidate marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACS) are being set up for this species in Cardigan Bay (Wales) and the Moray Firth (north-east Scotland).
Date: 12th June 2011
Location: Moray Firth (from Chanonry Point), Inverness-shire
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Also in: Whales and dolphins
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