Fun Short-beaked Common Dolphin Facts For Kids

Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are a species of common dolphins belonging to the family Delphinidae. Their distribution is common at warm-temperate and tropical oceans, including the Indian Ocean, although in smaller numbers than other places they are found and are also common in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Caribbean Sea.

These dolphins are also abundant in the Black Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the Red Sea.

Today, short-beaked common dolphin facts reveal that they are differentiated among two different species, which are the short-beaked common dolphin and the long-beaked common dolphin. This dolphin species follows the Gulf Stream up to Norwegian waters. They have light body coloration and are quite friendly towards humans. These dolphins are slightly similar to short-beaked saddlebacks in appearance.

To learn more about other dolphin species, you can also check out Hector's dolphin facts and bottlenose dolphin facts.

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a short-beaked common dolphin?

Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are a type of dolphin. They appear different and small from long-beaked common dolphins. They are found in warm tropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Their color pattern is very unusual, with several colors on the body consisting of white, black, yellow, gray, and a kind of dirty gray.

What class of animal does a short-beaked common dolphin belong to?

The short-beaked common dolphin belongs to class Mammalia and phylum Chordata. These dolphins are generally found in groups and they are also comfortable living where aggregations of hundreds and thousands of dolphins live.

They are found bow riding on Baleen whales and boats with breaching and aerial acrobatic behavior. A scarce feature of these dolphins is that when any member is sick in their group, they assist them by using their dorsal fin to help keep them afloat, so they survive.

How many short-beaked common dolphins are there in the world?

The IUCN has stated that its population distribution is widespread in the world. There are estimated to be around 2,963,000 short-beaked common dolphins in the Eastern tropical Pacific and 352,000 on the west coast of the United States.

Where does a short-beaked common dolphin live?

The distribution of short-beaked common dolphins is found in warm temperatures that are primarily offshore. They also range along the continental slope at depths of 650-6500 ft (198.12-1981.2 m). They are associated with the Gulf Stream current in the Western North Atlantic. Short-beaked dolphins also live in the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea.

What is a short-beaked common dolphin habitat?

Short-beaked common dolphins live in the Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. Striped, short-beaked common dolphins were caught with traces of hybridization, leading to further related possibilities to their inability to survive in such groups.

They are abundant in the Black Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the Red Sea and the short-beaked common dolphin population are declining elsewhere in Western Greece, specifically the island of Kalamos. Dolphins feeding on small marine mammals declined because of overfishing near the island between 1996 and 2007.

Who does short-beaked common dolphin live with?

Short-beaked common dolphins, genus Delphinus, are found to be living in groups of around 100-1000 individuals and also range in larger groups known as 'megapods' which consists of around 1000-10,000 individuals who also take care of each other during sickness.

How long does a short-beaked common dolphin live?

Short-beaked common dolphins usually have an estimated lifespan of 35 years and in the Black Sea, their lifespan is nearer 22 years. Males become sexually mature when they turn 10 years and the females hit sexual maturity at the age of eight years.

How do they reproduce?

Females hit sexual maturity at the age of 8-10 years when they have grown up to 85% of their final size and have ovulated at least once.

Short-beaked common dolphins are viviparous and can have two or three babies at a time but conceive only one calf of length  27.56-39.37 in (70-100 cm) and weigh about 22 lb (10 kg).

Their gestation period is 10-11 months.

Weaning off these marine creatures among the Black Sea population occurs at the age of five to six months and for others, it may exceed up to 19 months. Sexual maturity also varies according to the location, but females usually hit sexual maturity at two to seven years and males at 3-12 years.

What is their conservation status?

Short-beaked common dolphins are of Least Concern, but in recent times it has been known that they have become Endangered in the Mediterranean Sea as overfishing resulted so badly and left a negative impact on their declining population in their own habitat. Though they are declining in number, they still have a wider range than the long-beaked common dolphin.

Short-Beaked Common Dolphin Fun Facts

What does the Short-beaked common dolphin look like?

Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are medium-sized marine animals with an unusual color pattern visible in both sexes. The back is of dark shade and the belly is white.

Each side consists of an hourglass pattern of light gray color, dirty gray on the back, and a mixture of yellow or gold on the front side.

The mouth of the dolphin has a thin rostrum with around 50-60 small, sharp interlocking teeth on each side of each jaw, and the body size measures up to 5-8 ft (1.52-2.43 m) and weighs around 220.5-300 lb (100-136 kg). The young dolphin becomes more distinguishable when matured and has a muted appearance compared to adults.

How cute are they?

Short-beaked common dolphins and their calves are more cute, fun, and interactive than the long-beaked species of dolphins. They easily mix with new human company and enjoy with them.

How do they communicate?

Short-beaked common dolphins use local communicative methods like they use two different voices, one for social communication within their groups and the other for navigation and when searching for the location.

How big is a short-beaked common dolphin?

Short-beaked common dolphins have a total body length of around 59.8-95.6 in (152-243 cm), which is around five times smaller than Amazon river dolphins.

How fast can a short-beaked common dolphin swim?

Short-beaked common dolphins are fast swimmers who can swim at a speed of 37.2 mph (60 kph).

How much does a short-beaked common dolphin weigh?

Short-beaked common dolphins weigh up to 220.5-300 lb (100-136 kg), which is 10 times heavier and bigger than spinner dolphins.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names used to describe the male and female short-beaked common dolphin.

What would you call a baby short-beaked common dolphin?

The baby short-beaked common dolphin is called a calf.

What do they eat?

The main diet of this carnivorous mammal includes a varied diet such as small fish, such as herring, pilchard, anchovies, sardine, bonito, as well as squid and octopus, Atlantic mackerel, sprats, squids, sprats, anchovies, pipefish, and other schooling fish found in deep water like mackerel, and herrings.

Are they dangerous?

They are not dangerous as they are friendly and highly sociable with humans. These species of dolphins are more abundant and familiar in the whole world.

Would they make a good pet?

It is not specified whether this species can be kept as a pet or not, though they live up to 35 years and have a familiar nature with humans too. However, some of them have been raised in aquatic zoos.

Did you know...

Their population is declining because of the overfishing of their prey. Their feeding habits include squids.

Do short-beaked common dolphins migrate?

Yes, they migrate along currents and oceanic fronts.

Why are short-beaked common dolphins endangered?

They have become an endangered species due to the reduction of sardines in their native habitats.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Commerson's dolphin facts and  Risso’s dolphin facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable short beaked common dolphin coloring pages.