Creature Feature – Spinner Dolphin
It’s Creature Feature Friday! As we head into December, each week we take a detailed look at a resident of Christmas Island. First up is the Spinner Dolphin. Famous for their skilful acrobatic displays, the spinner dolphin is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world.
Taxonomy
Phylum: Chordata
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Stenella
Spinner Dolphin Fact File
Size: Individuals can reach 2.1m in length and and weigh up to 77kg
Distrobution: They can be found throughout the world in tropical and warm-temperate waters. Four subspecies of spinner dolphins have been described
Diet: This species has a varied diet – they eat small fish, shrimps, and squid
Behaviour: Researchers suggest that spinner dolphins spin for multiple reasons: to shake off remoras and parasites; to indicate location and direction; to display dominance; for courtship purposes; and possibly just because the activity is fun!
IUCN Status: Data Deficient / Least Concern. Top threats include tuna fishing, pressure from human interactions, ocean noise, boat collisions, and habitat degradation
