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The term common dolphin tends to refer to the short-beaked common dolphin and the long-beaked common dolphin that are found in warmer seas worldwide.

The common dolphin is generally found around the Mediterranean Sea but are also commonly seen in deep off-shore waters and to a lesser extent over continental shelves that are preferred to shallower waters. Some populations of dolphin may be present all year round, others appear to move in a migratory pattern.

Common dolphins travel in groups of around 10-50 in number and frequently gather into schools numbering 100 to 2000 individuals. These schools are generally very active socially with groups often surfacing, jumping and splashing together. Typical dolphin behaviour includes breaching, tail-slapping, chin-slapping, bow-riding and porpoising.

Common dolphins are among the fastest swimming marine mammals, with some possibly reaching speeds of over 40 km/h. Dolphins have been known to use both their speed and large group sizes to develop different ways of hunting prey.

Dolphin Comments (5)

Princess Isabel

"dolphin r cute and fast they also attack sharks if they get people so they are like the protector of the sea "

ELLEN

"I LOVE DOLPHINS!"

jellie and joline

"i love this artical"

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Dolphin Facts

Kingdom: A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....	Animalia
Phylum: A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....	Chordata
Class: A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....	Mammalia
Order: A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....	Cetacean
Family: A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....	Delphinidae

Scientific Name:	Delphinus Delphis
Type:	Mammal
Diet:	Carnivore
Size (L):	2m - 4m (6.5ft - 13ft)
Weight:	100kg - 300kg (220lbs - 660lbs)
Top Speed:	40km/h (25mph)
Life Span:	20 - 45 years
Lifestyle:	Pod
Conservation Status: The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...	Threatened

Colour:	Black, White, Grey
Skin Type:	Smooth
Favourite Food:	Fish
Habitat: The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...	Temperate coastal waters, harbours and bays
Average Litter Size:	1
Main Prey: When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....	Fish, Crab, Squid
Predators: When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...	Human, Sharks, Killer Whale
Distinctive Features:	Rounded dorsal in and striped skin

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