The bottlenose dolphin is one of the 15 species of dolphin found in Jamaican waters and is the most common dolphin used in captive facilities and for scientific research.

Characteristics of Dolphins

• They communicate with body movements and sounds that they produce using six air sacs near their blow hole

• They breathe through their blowhole which is closed under water so they have to surface every 5-8 minutes to breathe.

• They never truly go to sleep. Half of their brain is always active. They spend 1/3 o their day sleeping or resting, 1/3 eating and 1/3 playing or making love.

• They feed mainly on small fish, swallowing their food whole as their peg-like teeth are used for grasping, not chewing.

Interesting Fact

Dolphins and Bonobo Chimps are the only animals other than humans that have sex for fun.

There is insufficient data to determine the status of the bottlenose dolphin. Trade in the species is regulated by Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna).

Sources:

Photo of Common Dolphin: http://www.csiwhalesalive.org

Wells, R.S. & M.D. Scott (2002) Bottlenose Dolphins. In "Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals".

W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig & J.G.M. Thewisseneds.) pp. 122-126. Academic Press

Wikipedia Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wikiBottlenose_Dolphin)