Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Credits: 
Joana Romero

Bottlenose Dolphin has a robust body, short and thick beak, with a high and sickle dorsal fin. It can reach up to 3.8 m in length and weigh up to 350 kg. It presents a bluish dark grey colour, usually darker in the head and back and lighter on the belly. These dolphins are present all over the world in temperate and warm waters, and explore both oceanic and coastal habitats: the ones that live on oceanic waters are larger and darker with a smaller pectoral fin; those who live on coastal waters are smaller. We can find this species all over the Portuguese coast although the bottlenose dolphins that live in Sado estuary are particularly emblematic. In the waters of Peniche and Nazaré they are frequently observed, although less common than the Short-beaked Common Dolphin.

These dolphins form groups that may have several dozen individuals, with sex and age segregation. The groups can be composed of adults of both sexes with calfs, groups of females with calfs and juveniles, or groups of young males. The Bottlenose Dolphin seems to have a preference for shallow waters, where it feeds on several species of fish and cephalopods.