Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose DolphinBottlenose DolphinBottlenose DolphinBottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Fiordland National Park
117 Verified records at Fiordland National Park
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The common bottlenose dolphin or Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of three species of bottlenose dolphin in the genus Tursiops. While formerly known simply as the bottlenose dolphin, this term is now applied to the genus Tursiops as a whole. As considerable genetic variation has been described within this species, even between neighboring populations, many experts think additional species may be recognized and split out. The common bottlenose dolphin is a very familiar dolphin due to the wide exposure it receives in captivity in marine parks and dolphinariums, and in movies and television programs. Common bottlenose dolphins inhabit temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world, absent only from polar waters. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Bottlenose Dolphin sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 117 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Fiordland National Park

Hector's Dolphin
EN Endemic

Hector's Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Cephalorhynchus hectori

10–20% · With luck
Common Dolphin
LC

Common Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Delphinus delphis

Insufficient data
Long-finned Pilot Whale
LC

Long-finned Pilot Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Globicephala melas

Insufficient data
Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

<5% · Rare
Sperm Whale
VU

Sperm Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Physeter macrocephalus

Insufficient data
Southern Right Whale
LC

Southern Right Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eubalaena australis

Insufficient data
Sei Whale
EN

Sei Whale

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Balaenoptera borealis

Insufficient data
Minke Whale
LC

Minke Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Insufficient data
Southern Bottle-nosed Whale
LC

Southern Bottle-nosed Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hyperoodon planifrons

Insufficient data
Arnoux's Beaked Whale
LC

Arnoux's Beaked Whale

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Berardius arnuxii

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
30–40
Feb
30–40
Mar
40–50
Apr
30–40
May
30–40
Jun
40–50
Jul
30–40
Aug
30–40
Sep
40–50
Oct
20–30
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
40–50%
2 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
30–40%
3 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
30–40%
4 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
5 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
30–40%
6 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
7 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
8 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
9 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
10–20%
10 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
11 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
12 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
13 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
14 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
15 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
16 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
17 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
18 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
19 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
20 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
21 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
22 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
23 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Insufficient data
24 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
25 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
26 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
27 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
28 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
29 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
30 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
31 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
32 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
33 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data
34 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
35 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
36 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
37 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
38 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Bottlenose Dolphin in Fiordland National Park?

About 33% of wildlife watchers report a Bottlenose Dolphin sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 117 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Bottlenose Dolphin in Fiordland National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Bottlenose Dolphin in Fiordland National Park in our monthly data.

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