Author: Morgan Cadle
What to Expect of the Common Dolphin in South Africa

Southern Africa offers some of the most exceptional opportunities to encounter these creatures, especially along the coastlines of South Africa and Namibia. Specific spots in South Africa where they can be spotted are Plettenberg Bay, Hermanus, False Bay, Port Elizabeth (Algoa Bay), Mossel Bay, and Durban.
Even though they can be seen year-round, they are mostly seen from June to August when they migrate to warmer waters for breeding and calving. In areas like the coast off the Eastern Cape in South Africa, there have been sightings of mating pairs or groups with newborn calves.
Boat-based tours, or even those brave enough to go swimming with these beautiful creatures, offer visitors a glimpse of their dynamic behaviours. Aside from breaching and tail slapping, people can witness them spy hoping, where they poke their heads out of the water to observe their surroundings. They also engage in fast-paced swimming, or even engaging in courtship displays such as vocalizations, physical contact like rubbing against the females, acrobatic displays, and group coordination with other males in their pod to display synchronized behaviours or movements.
South Africans can see a wide variety of marine mammals along their coastline, with one of the most frequently seen by beach goers being the Common Dolphin, or as scientists know it, Delphinus delphis.
This species of dolphin got its common name due to its widespread distribution, recognizable physical traits, and social behaviour. Spotted worldwide, their distinctive hourglass coloration, along with their sociable nature and tendency to travel in large pods, earned them the label ‘common’. Its scientific name, Delphinus delphis, comes from the Greek word ‘delphis’, meaning dolphin. This name emphasizes this creature’s taxonomic classification within the Delphinidae family, which includes other species like the bottlenose dolphin, the spinner dolphin, and the killer whale or orca.
Common Dolphins have a lifespan that typically ranges between 25 to 35 years, although certain individuals in captivity have lived longer because of the absence of predators and other environmental stressors. The oldest known Common Dolphin was a female named Sandy, who was under care at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, USA, where she resided from 1965 until her passing in 2013 at the age of 48.
These adorable creatures usually measure between 1.8 to 2.4 meters in length and weigh approximately 68 to 227 kilograms (about twice the weight of a professional basketball player), with the males generally being larger than the females.
Distribution and Migration
The Common Dolphin has a vast distribution, inhabiting both warm and temperate waters worldwide. They are usually spotted along coastlines in various regions, including the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Indian Ocean. The countries where they are more frequently sighted are the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brazil, and Argentina.
While these dolphins can be sighted throughout the year, they are commonly observed during the warmer months, for the Northern Hemisphere, this is from March to September, and for the Southern Hemisphere, it’s from September to March. They use the summer months to migrate in search of food or breeding grounds. However, the exact timing they can be spotted depends on the specific location and local environmental conditions.
Breeding and Gestation
Breeding usually occurs in the warmer months, when the males use various tactics to attract females. The common strategy used by them involves performing acrobatic behaviours, such as breaching, tail slapping, and high-speed swimming, which shows their strength and agility. They also may vocalize intricate whistles and clicks to communicate their presence and fitness to nearby females.
The gestation period lasts for 10 to 11 months, after which a single calf is born every 2 to 3 years. The newborn calf typically measures around 80 to 90 centimeters—about the length of a baseball bat. They also weigh approximately 9 to 11 kilograms.
Feeding Habits
Common Dolphins are known to hunt in large groups, using coordinated efforts to corral their prey into tight bait balls. They then feed by taking turns darting into the ball to snatch a mouthful of prey. They also capture prey by employing echolocation to detect and locate prey in their surrounding environment. Their primary prey includes various small fish, squid, and crustaceans.
Common Traits
These dolphins are incredibly social creatures, well known for their playful demeanour and acrobatic displays. They can be seen frequently engaging in activities such as leaping out of the water, tail slapping, and even riding the bow waves of boats.
Conservation Status
Thankfully, the Common Dolphin currently falls under the category of ‘Least Concern’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. This means that the population of these creatures is relatively stable, even though localized threats such as pollution, fisheries bycatch, and habitat degradation persist.