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The Atlantic white-sided dolphin is a large and robust dolphin with a short thick snout and a tall strongly curved dorsal fin. This dolphin is more colourful than most other dolphin species. Its name comes from the distinctive coloured patches of light and dark grey, black, yellow, and white colouration along its sides. It is endemic to the North Atlantic, where it is found in cool to temperate pelagic waters, preferably in areas over steep slopes and canyons. White-sided dolphins do not undertake seasonal migrations but are highly mobile within their home range following prey. In fact, satellite-tagged white-sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands travelled to Iceland and Greenland within a few days!
White-sided dolphins are social, playful and fairly acrobatic, keen to interact with boats. They often travel in large pods and display aerial behaviours while travelling. Members in the pods are not closely related, travelling together for “safety in numbers”. The pod‘s size varies from several dozen to several hundred individuals, with an average size of around 50. They jump and breach more frequently when in larger groups, so these aerial behaviours might have a social meaning. They have a wide vocal repertoire which includes squeals, whistles, clicks and buzzes and they make more noise while socialising.
Atlantic white-sided dolphins may easily be misidentified as white-beaked dolphins, as their habitat overlaps considerably. However, white-sided dolphins are smaller and more colourful with their distinctive white and yellow streaks on the side. They are often seen with other cetaceans such as fin, humpback, and pilot whales, even bow-riding in front of larger whales, just as they do with boats. They have been observed attacking harbour porpoises, as bottlenose dolphins are also known to do.
The situation of Atlantic white-sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands
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The situation of Atlantic white-sided dolphins in Greenland
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The situation of Atlantic white-sided dolphins in Iceland
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The situation of Atlantic white-sided dolphins in Norway
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The situation of Atlantic white-sided dolphins in Denmark
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Adult length 2.5 metres
Adult weight 230 kg
Max age 17-20 years
Eats schooling fish, some squids
Group size 40-60
Predators killer whales and sharks
IUCN status least concern (2023)
Northeast Atlantic abundance >200,000
Hunted in
290 dolphins/year mean 2019-2023
<50 dolphins/year mean 2019-2023Sound credit: NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]. Passive Acoustics Group. 2021. White-sided dolphin. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/science-data/sounds-ocean
Main threats
Research
Why do you think, white-sided dolphins are often seen bow-riding with boats and even large whales? Try to think about several possible explanation.