Common Dolphin

Description

Common Dolphins are often spotted off the coast of San Diego aboard a Next Level Sailing tour ship. To identify this dolphin species accurately you’ll need to ask yourself, what color is a Common Dolphin? Unlike other dolphin groups, Common dolphins are colorful and have complex criss-cross patterns across their sides. These dolphins have been known to be friendly and can be seen doing flips and somersaults in the water.

The Common dolphin’s speed is extremely fast, with the ability to reach burst speeds of 35-40 miles per hour. These majestic marine mammals feed mostly on tiny school fish and squid while hunting alongside one another as they utilize their echolocation to locate prey. What exactly is echolocation? It’s the act dolphins perform when they send out sound waves into the water. When the sound hits an object, it bounces off, and an echo comes back to the dolphin. Unbelievably, the dolphin can identify an object by the sound of the echo.

The echo’s sound tells the dolphin the size, shape and texture of the object the sound wave hits. This technique makes it significantly easier for dolphins to find their food and communicate with other dolphins. Like other dolphin species, Common dolphins are very social. They are normally found in pods that consist of several hundred individuals. They occasionally gather in megapods of more than 1,000 individuals in one square area. Fortunately these aquatic mammals are not endangered but continue to face threats on their health and existence due to heavily polluted waters and accidentally being caught and tangled in netted fishing gear.