COMMON DOLPHIN

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COMMON DOLPHIN

THE COMMON DOLPHIN IS MEMBER OF THE FAMILY DELPHINIDAE THE COMMON DOLPHIN WAS THE MOST FREQUENTLY REPRESENTED IN THE ART AND LITERATURE OF ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME.

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COMMON DOLPHIN

THERE ARE TWO SPECIES OF COMMON DOLPHINS: THE LONG-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN (DELPHINUS CAPENSIS) SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN (DELPHINUS DELPHIS)

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ANATOMY

BOTH COMMON DOLPHIN SPECIES ARE MEDIUM SIZED MALES ARE GENERALLY LONGER AND HEAVIER THAN FEMALES THEY VARY IN SIZE FROM 6.2 TO 8.2 FT COMMON DOLPHINS CAN WEIGH BETWEEN 180 AND 520 LB

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ANATOMY
COMMON DOLPHINS ARE DISTINGUISHED FROM OTHER SPECIES BY A UNIQUE CRISSCROSS COLOUR PATTERN FORMED BY INTERACTION OF THE DORSAL OVERLAY AND CAPE THE COLOR PATTERN ON THE BODY INCLUDES BLACK, WHITE, GREY, YELLOW OR GOLD BOTH SUBSPECIES HAS FROM 40 TO 67 PAIRS OF SMALL SHARP CONICAL TEETH IN EACH JAW
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HABITAT
COMMON DOLPHINS INHABIT WARM TEMPERATE AND TROPICAL WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS THEY ARE ALSO FOUND IN THE CARIBBEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN SEAS THE SPECIES IS VERY ABUNDANT, WITH MANY AVAILABLE ESTIMATES FOR THE VARIOUS AREAS WHERE IT OCCURS

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HABITAT
THE LONG-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN ARE FOUND IN SOUTHERN AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA MEXICO JAPAN KOREA TAIWAN

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BEHAVIOR

THESE FAST-SWIMMING DOLPHINS ARE HIGHLY ACTIVE COMMON DOLPHINS ARE SOMETIMES SEEN IN GROUPS OF MORE THAN 1,000 INDIVIDUALS THEY SOMETIMES ASSOCIATE WITH OTHER DOLPHIN SPECIES

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BEHAVIOR

AT THE SURFACE, COMMON DOLPHINS ARE EXTREMELY ENERGETIC. AERIAL ACROBATICS ARE COMMON WITH THIS SPECIES SEASONALITY IN PREY AVAILABILITY MAY EXPLAIN THE COMMON DOLPHIN MIGRATION

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FEEDING

THE PREY OF COMMON DOLPHINS CONSISTS MAINLY OF SMALL FISH, KRILL AND SQUID THEY USE CO-OPERATIVE FEEDING TECHNIQUES IN THE PELAGIC NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN, DIET IS DOMINATED BY FISH AND CRUSTACEANS ARE OF MINOR IMPORTANCE

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FEEDING

LONG-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHINS ARE CAPABLE OF DIVING TO AT LEAST 900 FT TO CATCH PREY ANNUAL FOOD INTAKE OF TWO DOLPHINS IN CAPTIVITY IS AROUND 2,200KG BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 25 YEARS

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REPRODUCTION

GESTATION LASTS APPROXIMATELY 11 MONTHS WITH A CALVING INTERVAL FROM 1 TO 3 YEARS MALES BECOME SEXUALLY MATURE BETWEEN 3-12 YEARS AND FEMALES BETWEEN 2-7 YEARS

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REPRODUCTION

THE NEWBORN CALF HAS A LENGTH FROM 2.6 TO 3.3 FEET AND A WEIGHT OF ABOUT 20-22 LB THE AVERAGE LACTATION PERIOD LASTS 16.5 MONTHS AN AVERAGE RESTING PERIOD LASTS LESS THAN 3 MONTHS

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CONSERVATION AND THREATS

COMMON DOLPHINS FACE A MIXTURE OF THREATS DUE TO HUMAN INFLUENCE. THE GREATEST THREATS TO COMMON DOLPHINS ARE THE INCIDENTAL CATCH, POLLUTION, OVERFISHING AND TOURISM

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CONSERVATION AND THREATS

COMMON DOLPHINS ARE NOT COMMONLY SEEN IN CAPTIVITY COMMON DOLPHINS ARE CATEGORIZED AS "LEAST CONCERN" BY THE IUCN

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