Bottlenose dolphin  (Tursiops truncatus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Range

The bottlenose dolphin is found in coastal waters of most temperate, tropical and subtropical areas (9). Around the UK, it occurs in the English Channel, around north-east Scotland and in the Irish Sea, particularly in Cardigan Bay and off south-east Ireland (5). It is also found off western Ireland (5), but is rare further north than the UK (6).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Habitat

A coastal and oceanic species, the bottlenose dolphin occurs in a range of habitats from open water and lagoons to rocky reefs (10). It also occurs in large estuaries and even the lower reaches of rivers and harbours (6).

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