Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) is a species of bottlenose dolphin found in parts of Victoria, Australia. It was recognised as a species in 2011. Though the species classification is contested by some, a larger body of evidence now exists, further validating the Burrunan as a subspecies or potential species of bottlenose dolphin.

Etymology

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Physical Appearance

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are very similar to common bottlenose dolphins in appearance. Common bottlenose dolphins have a reasonably strong body, moderate-length beak, and tall, curved dorsal fins; whereas Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins have a more slender body build and their beak is longer and more slender.

The Indo-Pacific population also tends to have a somewhat lighter blue color and the cape is generally more distinct, with a light spinal blaze extending to below the dorsal fin. However, although not always present, the most obvious distinction can be made with the presence of black spots or flecks on the bellies of adults of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, which are very rare in common bottlenose dolphins.

Abilities

Dolphins search for prey primarily using echolocation, which is a form of sonar. Dolphins also use sound for communication, including squeaks emitted from the blowhole, whistles emitted from nasal sacs below the blowhole, and sounds emitted through body language, such as leaping from the water and slapping their tails on the water.

Their heads contain an oily substance that both acts as an acoustic lens and protects the brain case. They emit clicking sounds and listen for the return echoes to determine the location and shape of nearby items, including potential prey. A tribe of Austral indigenous people on the Mornington Island have been communicating with wild dolphins for millennia. They are said to have "a medicine man who calls the dolphins and "speaks" to them telepathically. By these communications he assures that the tribes' fortunes and happiness are maintained.

Weaknesses

Dolphins don't suffocate outside of water; they breathe air like all mammals, although they can die of dehydration out of water. They are vulnerable to many stressors and threats including disease, biotoxins, pollution, habitat alteration including freshwater incursions, vessel strikes, human feeding of and activities causing harassment, interactions with commercial and recreational fishing, energy exploration and oil spills, and other types of human disturbance, such as underwater noise.

Ecology

Dolphins have few marine enemies. Some species or specific populations have none, making them apex predators. Because the magnitude of threats may differ among tributaries, extrapolation from these small study areas should be undertaken with caution. The tucuxi exists in small groups of about 10-15 individuals, and swim in tight-knit groups, suggesting a highly developed social structure. Tucuxis are quite active and may jump clear of the water (a behavior known as breaching), somersault, spy-hop or tail-splash.

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins feed on a wide variety of fish and cephalopods (particularly squid). Apart from sight, dolphins also navigate by echolocation. They produce clicking sounds to send out sound waves. When these waves hit an object, they bounce back towards the dolphins’ well-developed ears. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins located in Shark Bay, Australia, have been observed using sponges as tools in a practice called "sponging". A dolphin breaks a marine sponge off the sea floor and wears it over its rostrum, apparently to probe substrates for fish, possibly as a tool.

Behavior

As a very social species, the Indo-Pacific dolphin lives in groups called pods that typically number about 15 individuals, but group size varies from pairs of dolphins to over 100 or even occasionally over 1,000 animals for short periods of time. The types of groups include: nursery groups, juvenile groups, and groups of adult males. If the dolphin can not find a path to a dropped item, the dolphin may stay underwater to the point of drowning. Should the survivor or another creature hit a dolphin, the whole pod retaliates, attacking all at once similar to other sociable animals.

Distribution and Habitat

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins have a discontinuous distribution in warm-temperate and tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region. They are found primarily in shallow coastal and estuarine waters and in shallow reef complexes.

Movement Pattern: Full Migrant
Individual Type: Pod
Population Trend: Unknown
Population: ???
Locomotion: Aquatic
Habitat: All
Earth:
- Extant (Resident): Australia; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China; Comoros; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; India; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Japan; Jordan; Kenya; Kuwait; Madagascar; Malaysia; Maldives; Mauritius; Mayotte; Mozambique; Myanmar; Oman; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Seychelles; Singapore; Solomon Islands; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tanzania; Taiwan; Thailand; Timor-Leste; United Arab Emirates
- Uncertain: Somalia; Yemen
- Presence Uncertain: Christmas Island; Hong Kong; Macao; Vietnam
Delphia: worldwide
Berbania: worldwide
Reinachos: worldwide
Sawintir: worldwide

Tamed

You cannot tame most dolphin species, except for common dolphin, orca, tucuxi, spotted dolphin, Commerson's dolphin, and bottlenose dolphin. Dolphins can be fed raw cod or pulled along with a lead that are tamed non-violently, rather than through a cordial and curious creature, it will slowly approach any survivor that is within radius. To tame it, you need to pet the creature twice, then feed it with fish or lobster meat.

Lore

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Gallery

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