Species: Stenella coeruleoalba
Adult Weight: 90-150kg (200-330lbs)
Birth Weight: Unknown
Adult Length: 1.8-2.5m (6-8 1/2ft)
Birth Length: 1m (39in)
Habitat: Mainly offshore but sometimes occurs inshore
Status: Common
Diet: Fish, squid and crustaceans
Description: The striped dolphin is fairly easy to identify at sea by its distictive striping; some individuals also have a bright pink underside. At first it may resemble a Common Dolphin, which is broadly similer in size and shape; however, the Striped Dolphin has a dark body stripe and, unlike the common dolphin, it does not have a yellow hour glass pattern on its sides. One of the most distictive features is the pale grey finger shape marking below the dorsal fin, but this is also a characteristic of many Atlantic Spotted Dolphins and Bottlenose Dolphins. It is a common species but it's population has declined in recent years.
Behaviour: Active and highly conspicious. Frequently breaches, sometimes as high as 7m (23ft) and capable of many acrobatics, including back somersults, tail-spins, and upside-down porpoising. When swimming at speed, up to one third of all members of a school will be above the surface at any one time. Dives typically last 5-10 minutes. Will bow ride in some areas, but rarely approaches boats in other areas. Often asscociates with common dolphins and, in the eastern tropical Pacific, with yellow fin tuna. Several mass strandings have occurred in recent years.
Distribution: Mainly tropical and sub-tropical, although also found in warm temperate waters. Wide distribution, though it dosen't appear to be continuous: there are gaps and low densities in some areas, suggesting geographically isolated (or semi-isolated) populations. Distinctive seasonal migration recorded off the coast of Japan, where it has been well studied. Migrations are unknown in other parts of the world, though it may move seasonally with warm oceanic currents in some areas. Primarily occurs offshore and, where found close to land, usually in deep water.
