Dolphins
Dolphins of the River Tay
Picture: Charlie Philips
The vast majority of dolphins seen in the River Tay are Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus). They are the most widely recognized dolphin and are found in many areas around the world.
The dolphins that frequent the River Tay during the summer months are thought to be part of the resident population of the Moray Firth which numbers around 130 individuals. To date, no studies have been carried out to confirm this, but hopefully the Crawsnest Dolphin Monitoring Project, which began this year, will collect enough data to prove or disprove this theory.
The project will entail the shore-based monitoring of the dolphins as they return from their winter travels. Over the summer months we will be recording data on their activity within the River Tay.
The increase in the numbers of dolphins has led many experts to the conclusion that they are the beginnings of a new colony, at present, resident in the Tay for at least six months of the year.
It is our hope that over the coming years we can build up a picture of these animals, leading to a greater understanding of individual dolphins, their family groups, their movements around our coastline and the environment they inhabit, as they continue to grow and develop into a fully resident colony.
For more details on the project, please visit the Crawsnest Dolphin Project
Bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Subspecies
Possibly two (coastal and offshore).
Statistics
Body length is 1.9-3.9m. They weigh 150-650kg. Males are larger than females.
Physical Description
Bottlenose dolphins appear uniform grey, but their colouring can be variable. They have a prominent dorsal fin, and a short, well-developed snout which resembles an old style gin bottle (hence their name.)
They have an extremely flexible neck because 5 of the 7 vertebrae are not fused as they are in other oceanic dolphins.
The bottlenose dolphin has between 28 and 26 pairs of sharp, conical teeth in each side of its jaw.
Distribution
Bottlenose dolphins are mainly found in the temperate and tropical waters of Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Habitat
They are often seen in harbours, bays, lagoons, estuaries and river mouths.
Diet
Bottlenose dolphins feed on squid, shrimp, eels and a wide variety of fish. They often hunt in teams.
Behaviour
Bottlenose dolphins are extremely social and remain in groups of 1-10 individuals in coastal regions, and groups of 1-25 offshore.
They often ride in the wake of boats and can jump as high as 4.9m.
Conservation status
Bottlenose dolphins are common, but their numbers have been depleted in some areas.
Notes
Bottlenose dolphins are the most well-known dolphin species.
Source: BBC