Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) ハンドウイルカ – size 380cm
The Bottlenose Dolphin is well known. I’m talking about flipper and performers in marine parks around the world. This Bottlenose Dolphin is coming up for air. They are mammals and breath air, just not as often as us. These photos are of wild dolphins. Kauai 2009
The Bottlenose Dolphins that live offshore tend to be bigger, darker, and show more signs of damage. They often have white on the nose and more scratches and scars from cookie cutter shark bites. Kauai 2018
A pair of mother calf pairs that are in sync. These Bottlenosed Dolphins were found close to shore. The inshore Bottlenose Dolphins tend to be lighter in color and will often be seen in larger pods. It is hard to tell the size of pods because they often spread out over a wide area in small groups. Kauai 2007
Bottlenose Dolphins eat a wide variety of fish, squid, and other sea creatures. This one has a needlefish in its mouth. I once saw a Bottlenose Dolphin chase a flyingfish into my boat and catch it when it bounced off of the hull. Kauai 2017
A young Bottlenose Dolphin spy hopping. Kauai 2004
Bottlenose Dolphins can jump high. This one seemed to just be having fun. Kauai 2008
The only Bottlenose Dolphins that I have seen in the wild so far were from the ferry from Amami Oshima to Kakeromajima. They were playing in the wake for a while. Amami 2018
This Bottlenose Dolphin was in the surf close to shore. There were some schools of small fish in the area at the time. The dolphins will play in the waves sometimes, but I think it was after fish this time. Kauai 2010
A Bottlenose Dolphin traveling fast. Kauai 2007