Bottlenose dolphin  (Tursiops truncatus)

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) are a large species of dolphin, with males growing up to 4m in length. They are typically plain, with a sickle-shaped dorsal fin (Fig. 1). Bottlenose dolphin diet is highly varied, from fish such as cod, herring, and sandeel, to squid and shellfish (Couzens et al, 2017).

Population & Distribution:
Prior to the late 1990s, on the east coast of Scotland bottlenose dolphin were mainly associated with the inner Moray Firth. However, now they can be considered an east coast population (Fig. 2) ranging regularly as far as Northumberland. Aberdeen Harbour is now likely to be the most regularly frequented site, with dolphins present over 80% of the time in late spring. 

Along the East Grampian Coast they tend to live within 10km of the coast, with the local population being the largest in the world. Overall the increased range has been mirrored by an increase in the number of individuals with current population estimates around 230.

Conservation Status: 
UK Biodiversity Action Plan: Priority Species (BRIG, 2007)
Scottish Biodiversity List: Priority Species (NatureScot, 2020)

Bottlenose dolphin are a Priority Marine Feature, meaning they are of primary concern for marine nature conservation in Scotland (NatureScot, 2020).

Factors Impacting Bottlenose Dolphin:
Bottlenose dolphin are impacted by overfishing, chemical and noise pollution, and vessel collisions (Couzens et al, 2017). 

Report any sightings to NESBReC via the link below.