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Dolphin leaping out of the water with ocean background on a sunny day.
Dolphin surfacing in calm blue water with reflection visible.
Dolphin leaping out of the water against a clear sky backdrop.
Two dolphins leaping out of the ocean with a clear blue sky background.

Bottlenose Dolphin

General Information
Life Span
40-60 Years
Occurrence in Faro
Resident
Pod Composition
1-150 animals
Max Speed
35 km/h
Max Size
4.1m
Sightings
Very Common
Diet
Fish & Cephalopods
Dive
Up to 12min & 1000 meters
Dolphin leaping out of the water with ocean background on a sunny day.
Two dolphins leaping out of the ocean with a clear blue sky background.
Dolphin surfacing in calm blue water with reflection visible.
Dolphin leaping out of the water against a clear sky backdrop.

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN

Tursiops truncatus

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are highly intelligent marine mammals known for their complex social structures and advanced communication skills. They inhabit warm and temperate seas worldwide and are among the most studied cetaceans. Bottlenose dolphins use signature whistles to identify and communicate with one another, functioning similarly to names. They exhibit tool use, such as using marine sponges to protect their rostrums while foraging on the seafloor, and display behaviors indicating self-awareness, including mirror recognition. Their diet primarily consists of fish and cephalopods. This is a resident species in Faro area. In our region, both “oceanic” and “coastal” ecotypes are present. As of 2025, 3 different pods are known to venture inside Ria Formosa Natural Park for foraging purposes.

View Other Odontoceti