Common Bottlenose Dolphinハンドウイルカ（バンドウイルカ）

Species Data

Classification

Artiodactyla / Delphinidae Source

Distribution

Distributed throughout temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, absent only from polar waters; the global population is estimated at around 600,000 individuals. Source

Did You Know?

• Bottlenose dolphins are believed to have the longest social memory of any non-human species; studies have shown individuals can recognize the signature whistle of a former companion even after more than 20 years apart. Source
• In Western Australia, some bottlenose dolphins have been observed carrying a marine sponge on their beak while foraging over sandy seafloor, apparently to protect their rostrum—a rare example of tool use first documented in 1997. Source
• The Japanese name is written either "Handou-iruka" or "Bandou-iruka"; the latter, popularized by University of Tokyo researcher Shoji Nishiwaki, has become the standard term in aquariums and academic papers, and this species is the dolphin most commonly kept and shown at aquariums across Japan. Source

Transferred or Residency Unconfirmed

FAQ

How intelligent are bottlenose dolphins?

They are considered among the most cognitively sophisticated non-human animals, using signature whistles to identify individuals, sophisticated echolocation for hunting, and displaying what researchers describe as the longest social memory documented in any non-human species. Source

How long do bottlenose dolphins live?

In the wild they typically live 40 to 60 years, and in managed care the maximum recorded lifespan is 51 years. Source

Why does this species have two different Japanese names?

It was first named "Handou-iruka" based on an 1827 natural history text, but the alternate reading "Bandou-iruka," promoted by cetologist Shoji Nishiwaki of the University of Tokyo, became the standard used in most aquariums and scientific papers today. Source