Species group · Mammals

Dolphins

WAnimals has 17 species of dolphin, spread across 4 families (Delphinidae, Iniidae, Lipotidae, Platanistidae).

17 species

4 families

173 countries

182 parks

All 17 species of dolphins on WAnimals

Each one has its own full profile. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

9 Least Concern4 Endangered2 Critically Endangered1 Vulnerable1 Near Threatened

7 species in this group are in a threatened category according to the IUCN.

Recorded in 173 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

It forms pods of over 10,000, among the largest social gatherings of any marine mammal.
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It is recognisable by the hourglass pattern along its flanks.
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It feeds on small fish, squid and octopus.
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It is probably the most studied cetacean in the world, thanks to more than 50 years of research in Sarasota Bay.
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It can hold its breath for up to 7 minutes.
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It can recognise itself in a mirror, a cognitive ability that is rare among animals.
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It is known for spinning completely around its own long axis in mid-air as it leaps, a behaviour whose exact purpose — communication, shedding parasites — is still debated.
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Its leaps are unique: it spins on its own long axis as many as seven times in the air before falling back into the water.
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