Where do bottlenose dolphins live?
Bottlenose dolphins live in tropical and temperate (mild) oceans and breathe air at the surface. They are warm-blooded mammals that have lungs, just like humans, and breathe through a blowhole at the top of their heads.
Bottlenose dolphins are social creatures and travel in groups called 'pods' of around 10-15. In these groups, they play and hunt together, as well as cooperate to raise young dolphin calves and help each other.
Bottlenose dolphins are excellent swimmers. They glide through the water using their curved dorsal fin on their back, a powerful tail and pointed flippers.
Bottlenose dolphins are carnivores and eat mostly fish, but they also eat crustaceans such as squid and shrimp too.
Fun facts
- Bottlenose dolphins can grow to be anywhere from 6 to 14 ft long.
- Dolphins shed their outermost layer of skin every 2 hours!
- Bottlenose dolphins can live up to 40-50 years in the wild.
- Their snout is shaped like a bottle which gives the animal its common name.
