Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
at Cabo Pulmo National Park
3 Verified sightings at Cabo Pulmo National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,107 Verified sightings across all 40 parks From 2019 to 2026
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Bottlenose Dolphin

The common bottlenose dolphin or Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of three species of bottlenose dolphin in the genus Tursiops. While formerly known simply as the bottlenose dolphin, this term is now applied to the genus Tursiops as a whole. As considerable genetic variation has been described within this species, even between neighboring populations, many experts think additional species may be recognized and split out.

The common bottlenose dolphin is a very familiar dolphin due to the wide exposure it receives in captivity in marine parks and dolphinariums, and in movies and television programs. Common bottlenose dolphins inhabit temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world, absent only from polar waters.

Common bottlenose dolphins have a grey coloration, a short beak, a single blowhole, and a hooked dorsal fin. The bottlenose is between 2 and 4 m (6.6 and 13.1 ft) long, and weighs between 150 and 650 kg (330 and 1,430 lb). Males are generally larger and heavier than females. In most parts of the world, adult length is between 2.5 and 3.5 m (8.2 and 11.5 ft); weight ranges between 200 and 500 kg (440 and 1,100 lb). Like the other bottlenose... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
2 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
3 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~40%
4 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~40%
5 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~30%
6 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
7 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
8 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
9 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~20%
10 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
11 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
12 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
13 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
14 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
15 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
16 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
17 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
18 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
19 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
20 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
21 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
22 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
23 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
24 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Insufficient data
25 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
26 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
27 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
28 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
29 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
30 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
31 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
32 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
33 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
34 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
35 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data
36 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
37 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
38 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
39 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
40 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
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