# Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin (*Tursiops erebennus*) Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin is a playful and friendly marine mammal. They love to swim in the ocean and can often be seen jumping out of the water, showing off their acrobatic skills! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tamanend's_bottlenose_dolphin.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dan Vickers, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tamanend's_bottlenose_dolphin.jpg) ## Appearance The Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin is a robust dolphin with a short, distinct beak and a stocky body. Its coloration ranges from dark grey on the back to a lighter grey or white belly, often appearing darker than offshore bottlenose dolphins. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Cetacea - **Family:** Delphinidae - **Genus:** Tursiops ## Interesting facts - Dolphins don't have a sense of smell, but their hearing is super sharp! - Dolphins sleep with half their brain awake and one eye open! - Every Tamanend's dolphin has a unique whistle, like its very own name! - They often work together in groups to herd fish into a tight ball! ## Special abilities - **Sonar Sense:** Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin can navigate and find prey in murky water because of its advanced echolocation. - **Tail Thruster:** Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin can leap and swim at high speeds because of its powerful tail flukes. - **Deep Breath Diver:** Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin can hold its breath for many minutes, helping it hunt underwater. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 220-300 cm - **Weight:** 190-280 kg - **Lifespan:** 35-50 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 360-390 days ## Diet & Feeding These clever hunters love to eat various fish and squid found in coastal waters. - **Primary Foods:** Atlantic Menhaden, Striped Mullet, Atlantic Croaker, Squid, Shrimp - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Atlantic Menhaden (*Brevoortia tyrannus*) — A primary food source in its coastal habitat. - **Eats:** Striped Mullet (*Mugil cephalus*) — Often hunted cooperatively in shallow waters. - **Eaten by:** [Orca](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orca) (*Orcinus orca*) — An apex predator, though less common in coastal areas. - **Eaten by:** [Great White Shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-white-shark) (*Carcharodon carcharias*) — Occasionally preyed upon by large marine predators. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Echolocation](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/echolocation): Echolocation is a biological sonar used by animals to navigate, hunt, and communicate by emitting sound waves and interpreting the echoes. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch dolphins from a safe distance and never try to touch or feed them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin? 220-300 cm ### How much does Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin weigh? 190-280 kg ### How long does Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin live? 35-50 years ### How fast can Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin move? 35 km/h ### What does Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin eat? These clever hunters love to eat various fish and squid found in coastal waters. ### Where is Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin usually found? Coastal areas ### How does Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Charleston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charleston-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairchild-tropical-botanic-garden) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort Caroline](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-caroline) — Florida, US · National Park - [French Quarter](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/french-quarter) — US · Neighborhood - [Secessionville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/secessionville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District [View all places to see Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/tamanends-bottlenose-dolphin) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tamanends-bottlenose-dolphin)