Its leaps can contain several complete turns. After dark, the same animal hunts hundreds of metres below the surface.
- Local names
- 'Ōu'a
- Habitat
- Open ocean
About this species
Spinner dolphins can leap roughly three metres clear of the water and turn as many as seven times before landing. Their long, slender jaws may carry up to about 250 teeth.
They hunt small fish, including lanternfish, as well as shrimp, squid, cuttlefish and octopus. The guide places feeding at about 200–240 m depth. These are nocturnal foraging dives, separate from the spectacular daytime leaps.
These are strongly social dolphins. The guide describes groups of 20–25, but group size varies with place and activity rather than defining a fixed pod size. Calves may nurse for around two years.
