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| Distribution |
The Common Bottlenose Dolphin was split in a published 2023 paper, with the "offshore" form/taxon retaining the same common and scientific names, with the "new" inshore form being named as Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops erebennus). As a result, the "new" Common Bottlenose Dolphin is the one found well offshore and not along the coast in NC waters. How far inward, such as over the Continental Shelf, it occurs is not known, though beach strandings certainly must occur. It might not be clear what percentage of strandings of "bottlenose dolphins" along the NC coast refer to T. erebennus versus T. truncatus.
Found worldwide in temperate and tropical waters. |
| Abundance |
It is apparently common and is the most often seen marine mammal from fishing boats going 20 or more miles offshore. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History mammal collections (2014) lists approximately 1,718 stranding records for NC, by far the most for any cetacean species; however, this total does not separate out the newly described T. erebennus versus the current T. truncatus. |
| Seasonal Occurrence |
Occurs year-round in our waters. There are numerous stranding records for all 12 months, with more in the winter perhaps owing to pregnant or nursing females or young with females at that time of year. Again, these totals are for the original "broad sense" Common Bottlenose Dolphin. |
| Habitat |
Favors warmer waters in its worldwide range. In NC, most often seen in the Gulf Stream, but can be found presumably well offshore -- 20 or more miles from shore, always in deep waters. Probably seldom occurs in shallow waters, where the newly described Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin is found (ranges apparently do not overlap). |
| Behavior |
Bottlenose Dolphins are quite active, though they are not quite as agile as some species, because they are somewhat stocky. Leaps completely out of the water are not as frequent as with many other dolphins. Groups are fairly small, typically only 10-25 individuals, instead of many dozens to hundreds like those in other genera. |
| Comments |
As mentioned above, a publication in 2023 splits out the inshore taxon as a full species -- the Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin, leaving the Common Bottlenose Dolphin as the taxon found in the deep NC waters, far from shore. On offshore boat trips, numbers can be matched or exceeded by Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, but Bottlenose Dolphins are typically seen on most trips. |
| Origin |
Native |
| NC List |
Official |
 State Rank |
S5M |
| State Status |
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| Global Rank |
G5 |
| Federal Status |
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| subspecies |
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| other_comName |
Offshore Bottlenose Dolphin, Atlantic Bottlenose(d) Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin |
| synonym |
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