Bottlenose Dolphin

The bottlenose dolphin is a highly intelligent marine mammal known for its sleek, streamlined body and distinctive curved mouth that resembles a smile. They typically grow about 8 to 12 feet long and weigh around 300 to 1,400 pounds. Found in warm and temperate ocean waters worldwide, they are social creatures, living in groups called pods. Bottlenose dolphins communicate using a variety of clicks, whistles, and body movements, and they use echolocation—sending out sound waves to locate objects and prey in their environment. They are intelligent, playful, and often interact with humans in coastal areas.