Indo-pacific Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus)

Group formation: Social fission fusion groups 5-20 (sometimes up to 100, mix with bottlenose dolphins)

Size: 2.6 m, calf 80-150 cm

Weight: 230 kg, calf 9-21 kg

Age: >40 yrs

Sexual maturity: males 12 yrs, females 10 yrs

Gestation: 12 mths, 4-6 yrs in between

Weaning: 1-2 yrs

Diet: variety of fish and cephalopods (particularly squid)

Predators: sharks, killer whales, false killer whales, pygmy killer whales, short-finned pilot whales

Distribution: tropical and temperate waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans and prefer shallow, nearshore waters

Raja Ampat: they are common and often seen close to shore or in channels

Population size: 6000

Conservation Status: Data Deficient ver 3.1, Pop. trend: unknown

Threats: Whaling (Japan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan), chemical and plastic pollution, man-made noise impacts (seismic surveys, military sonar), entanglement in fishing gear, over fishing, captivity