Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Table Mountain National Park
28 Verified records at Table Mountain National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is the most abundant cetacean in the world, with an estimated global population of about six million. It is currently the only member of the genus Delphinus, the type genus of the subfamily Delphininae. This places it as a close relative of the bottlenose dolphin, humpback dolphin, striped dolphin, spinner dolphin, Clymene dolphin, spotted dolphin, Fraser's dolphin, the tucuxi, and the Guiana dolphin. The common dolphin was once divided into two different species, the short-beaked common dolphin and the long-beaked common dolphin. These are now generally regarded as ecotypes. Recent research shows that many long-beaked populations worldwide are not closely related to one another, often originating from short-beaked ancestors, and they do not consistently share the same derived traits. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Dolphin sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 28 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
5–10
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 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
2 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
3 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
4 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
5 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
5–10%
6 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
7 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
8 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
9 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
10 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
11 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
12 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
13 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
14 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data
15 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
16 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
17 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
18 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Dolphin in Table Mountain National Park?

About 3% of wildlife watchers report a Common Dolphin sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 28 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Dolphin in Table Mountain National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Common Dolphin in Table Mountain National Park in our monthly data.

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