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ADOPT AN ANIMAL
Provide help to an animal for as little as £3 a month, and make a connection that lasts.SOME OF THE ANIMALS YOU CAN ADOPT
Bottlenose Dolphin fact-file:
Description: Characterised by its short “bottlenose” beak, the bottlenose dolphin is usually light grey on its upper body, getting lighter round its sides and then to a pinkish grey on its underside.
Habitat: Temperate and tropical waters in either hemisphere. Frequently seen in harbours, bays and river estuaries.
Location: Worldwide
Length: Adult bottlenose dolphins are usually between 2.5-3.8m (8-12 feet)
Weight: As much as 650kg (1430 lbs) around the United Kingdom but are usually smaller in other parts of the world.
Diet: Bottlenose dolphins feed mainly on small fish and crustaceans but this varies with different locations. Many dolphins share the same appetite for tuna aswell as mackerel and mullet.
Lifespan: Maximum lifespan is around 45-50 years but research suggests the average is around 20 years.
Behaviour and social habits: Bottlenose dolphins usually live in groups of between 10-30 members called pods. They often work as a unit when hunting and they search for their prey using echolocation, which is similar to the sonar we use. Other sounds and signals are used for communication.
Being mammals dolphins must breathe air and this is done through their blowhole, which is located on the top of their head. Typically a dolphin will rise to the surface every 2-3 minutes in order to breathe but they can remain submerged for up to 20 minutes.
Reproduction and calves: Males reach maturity at age 9-14 and compete for access to females who mature at between 5-13. Females reproduce every 2 – 6 yrs with gestation averaging around 12 months and usually only a single calf is born.
When born a calf will suckle for 18 -20 months and will remain close to its mother for several years before gaining its independence.
