The Indian River Lagoon Bottlenose Dolphin is by far one of the most majestic marine mammals around. You feel as though you can see the joy on their faces as they splash around chasing their next meal. The Atlantic bottlenose dolphin is the apex predator of the IRL weighing in from 400 to 1,200 lbs, with a length five to thirteen feet.
Indian River Lagoon Bottlenose Dolphin Subspecies
Due to the dolphin being born in the IRL system and typically never leaving it, the dolphin is around twenty percent smaller than the ones in the ocean. This is because the average depth of the Indian River Lagoon is only around three feet deep, along with the sea walls surrounding the system creating limited room for the dolphin to swim around. Thus, we have named a subspecies: the Indian River Lagoon Bottlenose Dolphin.
Slightly Smaller Than Their Relatives Who Live in the Ocean
Even though this subspecies of dolphins are smaller, this doesn’t hinder their remarkable hunting ability. Dolphins being the incredibly intelligent animals they are, have come to terms with their environment and use it to its full potential.
How to Spot a Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins have light to charcoal grey skin, typically the older they are the darker the skin. Due to the shallow waters of the IRL, we can see the dorsal fin of the dolphin nearly the entire time. This makes them incredibly easy to spot, especially when they are hunting! When the dolphin is hunting in the IRL they use different techniques than the dolphin in the ocean. In the ocean, dolphins hunt in pods; however, in the IRL, they can use the shallow waters and sea walls to their advantage.
Bottlenose Dolphins Hunting
In order to stun the fish, they are after (mostly mullet fish) they carol and slap the fish against the sea walls, this allows them to grab them with ease.
Search for Bottlenose Dolphins on The Indian River Lagoon
Thus, when we are searching for these dolphins we look out for any explosions of water. Along with water splashing, we make sure to keep an eye on the birds in the sky. Birds such as pelicans and anhinga track dolphins, because where dolphins are fish are. Birds use the dolphin as a larger target in the water that shows them where the fish are.
So, if you see birds looking really interested in the water and flying from spot to spot there is a good chance there is a dolphin nearby. When on the search for dolphins you can’t solely rely on your vision. Many times, while kayaking you won’t see the dolphin but you will hear it either splashing or taking a breath of air.
Curious Indian River Dolphin Approaches Kayak Tour Group
Quick Bottlenose Dolphins Facts
- The dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon are a sub-species to the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin out in the ocean. They are around 20%, so they can maneuver the shallow waters in the Lagoon.
- Typically, IRL dolphins don’t have to hunt in pods as they do in the ocean due to their ability to use the sea walls and shallow waters to their advantage while they pin the fish against them.
- Dolphins can hold their breath for 8-10 minutes.
- A dolphin can live 30 to 50 years.
- Dolphins can swim up to 22 mph.
- There are around 1500-2000 dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon System. Typically, they live their entire lives in the IRL, some don’t even know the ocean exists.
- The IRL dolphin is around 6 to 12 ft weighing anywhere from 300 to 1,400 lbs.
- Dolphins get their fresh water from the fish they eat.
