Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops aduncus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetartiodactyla
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Tursiops
Species: Tursiops aduncus

The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) is a medium-sized grey dolphin, smaller and slimmer than the common bottlenose dolphin, with a relatively long beak. Adults often develop dark spots on the belly and lower flanks.

This species lives close to shore over shallow reefs, seagrass beds and sandy bays, usually in small groups with strong social bonds. It feeds on a wide variety of reef and bottom-dwelling fish and cephalopods.

In the Philippines it is found in coastal waters around several islands, and its nearshore habits make it vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear. Occasional underwater encounters happen on shallow reefs, and passive, calm behaviour gives the best chance of a respectful sighting.

Photo: Ewout Knoester, CC BY-SA 4.0, via iNaturalist