Classification: 

The striped dolphin is extremely active at the surface, performing amazing acrobatics including somersaults, back-somersaults, upside down porpoising, and breaching with leaps three times its length.

Striped dolphins are widely distributed throughout the world's oceans and tend to prefer offshore waters in temperate and tropical zones.

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Appearance: 

The striped dolphin body size and shape resembles the short-beaked common dolphin, but the colour pattern is unique; its dorsal side is bluish grey to brownish grey, with a white to pinkish underside.

The most recognisable feature is a stripe running from the dark beak, above the eye, across its flank and down to the underside at the rear of its body.

A second pronounced stripe runs below the eye to the pectoral flipper. It may or may not have a black patch around each eye.

 

 

Behaviour: 

Striped dolphins travel in groups, typically numbering from a few dozen to 500 animals, but herds numbering in the thousands are sometimes reported.

When swimming at speed, as much as one-third of a pod will be above water at any given time.

Striped dolphins are curious animals and will also often bow-ride, sometimes approaching from a distance.

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