Striped Dolphin

The Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) is a member of the genus Stenella and amongst them the most common. Striped Dolphins are very active swimmers, the reach speeds up to 65 km per hour. Also they are very acrobatic jumpers.

Other species of this genus are Pantropical spotted dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, Spinner dolphins and Clymene dolphins.

Pictures

The Striped Dolphin off the coast of La Gomera

Males are, with a size of 1,90 to 2,60 metres, significantly larger than females which have a maximum size of 2,10 metres. These dolphins are quite shy. Sometimes they escape within a second from approaching boats. But when you get a look at them, they impress with jumps up to 7 metres high.

Since striped dolphins are very swift swimmers, our encounters with them are sometimes very short, because they can swim away very quickly.

Latest sightings of Striped Dolphins

General Informationen

Striped dolphins spend their hole life in groups, which are called schools. These schools are formed of 25 animals or sometimes really big groups can include up to 1000 animals. They are almost never in coastal areas, they prefer to be farther out in the sea.

Their diet includes almost without exception cephalopods and small fish. Also, they have to be careful themselves, because with a weight of 90 to 150 kilograms these small dolphins are a popular prey of sharks and killer whales.

Distinctive features

The striped dolphin is characterized by a very slim body with a narrow, short beak. They are easy to distinguish from other dolphins because of their typical colouring and bands.

The upper body part, from the head to the dorsal fin, is dark blue, the flanks are light gray and the underside of the body is white. From the eyes to the flippers runs a black band. From the eyes over the flanks and the belly run two more bands, which run together on the tail.

Distribution

Striped dolphins like it warm, therefore they are in all warmer areas in all oceans, for example in the Pacific Ocean in Japan, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea or Solomon Islands. Also in the Indian Ocean off the coasts of Africa.

In the Atlantic Ocean they feel comfortable too, especially in South America, as well as off the coasts of Africa, including the Canary Islands where they can be observed quite often. Off the european coasts they can be found near the Spanish mainland, as well as Portugal and France.

Whales and Dolphins of La Gomera

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Recent sightings off the coast of La Gomera