BIOTRIAD NEWS

Spinner Dolphins

By Katelin Kukk

Some of the most encountered cetaceans you’ll find in the Pacific Ocean are the spinner dolphins. Known for being one of the most acrobatic dolphins, you can see these mammals jumping and spinning out of the water to communicate with others.

These relatively small dolphins can be found from the Mid-Atlantic to the Pacific. They vary in coloration but usually have a dark gray dorsal, a light gray side, and a white belly. Spinner dolphins follow horizontal and vertical migrations to feed, swimming in deeper waters during the day and hunting closer to the surface at night.

Right now, threats that face them include, but are not limited to, recreational activities, climate change, disease, and more. It is now prohibited by NOAA for swimmers to approach a spinner dolphin within 50 yards of 2 nautical miles from the shore in designated waters. By spreading awareness and showing support, we can help protect these incredible dolphins!

Photograph by Dave Fleetham