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Bottlenose dolphin

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The bottlenose dolphins in our waters are the biggest of their kind – they need to be able to cope with our chilly waters!

Scientific name

Tursiops truncatus

When to see

January to December

Top facts

Category

Stats

Length: up to 4m
Weight: 500kg
Average Lifespan: 45-50 years
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, listed under CITES Appendix II and classified as a Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. Also protected under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995

About

Bottlenose dolphins are the most familiar of our dolphins. They're also the dolphins you're most likely to see from our shores. The ones found around the UK are the biggest bottlenose dolphins in the world – their size helps them cope with our chilly waters.

The best places to see bottlenose dolphins are the Moray Firth in Scotland, Cardigan Bay in Wales and the coasts of Cornwall, Northumberland and North Wales. They are very social animals and can often be seen in small groups of up to 15 dolphins. They love to jump out of the water and will happily approach boats to bowride (surfing in the waves created by the boat). They feed on fish, often working as a team to hunt.

What to look for

A chunky, fairly plain grey dolphin, darker above and paler below. Their beak is short and stubby and their dorsal fin is large, sickle-shaped and often marked with notches and scratches. Bottlenose dolphins are often sighted close to shore alone or in small groups. Look out for boisterous splashing and breaching – and don't be surprised if they approach your boat to check you out!

Where to find

Found all around the UK, common in the Moray Firth, Cardigan Bay and off Cornwall.

Did you know?

Individual bottlenose dolphins can be recognised from the unique pattern of nicks and notches on their dorsal fin – a bit like a fingerprint! Dolphins can then be tracked over their lifetime using only photos of their fins.