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Tursiops truncatus

(Montague, 1821)

Bottlenose Dolphin

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100306
Element CodeAMAGE04010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderCetacea
FamilyDelphinidae
GenusTursiops
Other Common Names
Dauphin à gros nez (FR) Delfín Hocico de Botella (ES) Grand dauphin (FR) Grand dauphin commun (FR)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
Following the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM 2025), this record tentatively includes gephyreus (Atlantic coast of South America) as a subspecies; it was elevated to species status by Wickert et al. (2016) but more recent studies have called it's species status into question and treated it as a subspecies. Previously included T. erebennus which was split from T. truncatus by Costa et al. (2022). Tursiops as a whole is in need of a comprehensive taxonomic revision using range wide data and any taxonomic arrangement for the genus should be considered tentative for now (ASM 2025).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-10-23
Change Date1996-11-15
Edition Date2024-10-23
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (1996); rev. R. L. Gundy (2024)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
This species is widespread and common in many areas worldwide. The population is estimated to be at least 750,000 individuals and the population appears to be stable.
Range Extent Comments
Worldwide distribution primarily in coastal and inshore areas of tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions; most common near shore, but occurs also pelagically in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and some other areas; generally not poleward of 45 degrees latitude except off northwestern Europe (Jefferson et al. 1993).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats include intentional harvest in subsistence fisheries, by-catch in commercial and subsistence fisheries, environmental pollutants, mortal and disturbance from vessels, and disease (Wells et al. 2019).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Offshore form frequents pelagic waters, especially in tropics. Coastal form usually shoreward of 20 m contour, often in lagoons, bays, river mouths; ascends river in some areas; common near passes connecting large bays with ocean. Young are born in the water.

Ecology

Group size usually less than 10 (coastal form) or 25 (offshore form), though herds of several hundred sometimes are reported offshore. Individuals may segregate by age and sex.

Coastal form apparently has limited home range along segment of coast; for example, resident dolphins in a South Carolina estuary had home ranges over four years that averaged 51.3 square kilometers (95% adaptive kernel method; Gubbins 2002). However, in the Southern California Bight, dolphins are highly mobile within a relatively narrow coastal zone, extending from at least Santa Barbara to Ensenada, Mexico (Defran et al. 1999). Offshore form apparently is less restricted in movements and may move long distances over deep water (e.g., see Wells et al. 1999).

In Florida, mean mortality rate was 19% in first year, up to 3.8% annually thereafter (see IUCN 1991).

Reproduction

Gestation lasts about 12 months. Produces one young every 2-6 years. Young are closely tended by adults for 1st several months, weaned in 12-18 months or more. Males are sexually mature in 8-12 years, females in 5-12 years; average age of sexual maturity is around 11-12 years; a few live up to at least 40 (males) to 50 (females) years (Leatherwood and Reeves 1983, IUCN 1991).
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5N
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
LouisianaS5Yes
MassachusettsS2Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
New YorkS3Yes
TexasS3Yes
MississippiS4Yes
MarylandSNAYes
FloridaSNRYes
North CarolinaS5NYes
District of ColumbiaSHYes
New JerseyS3BYes
DelawareSNAYes
VirginiaSNAYes
HawaiiSNRMYes
GeorgiaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial development——High (continuing)
1.3 - Tourism & recreation areas——High (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridors——High (continuing)
4.3 - Shipping lanes——High (continuing)
5 - Biological resource use——High (continuing)
5.4 - Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources——High (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance——High (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activities——High (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases——High (continuing)
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseases——High (continuing)
9 - Pollution——High (continuing)
9.1 - Domestic & urban waste water——High (continuing)
9.2 - Industrial & military effluents——High (continuing)
9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluents——High (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (1)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
References (35)
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  2. Baird, R. W., E. L. Walters, and P. J. Stacey. 1993a. Status of the bottlenose dolphin, TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS, with special reference to Canada. Can. Field-Nat. 107:466-480.
  3. Baird, R. W., E. L. Walters, and P. J. Stacey. 1993b. Status report on the bottlenose dolphin TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 48 pp.
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