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	Pantropical Spotted Dolphin in the Fiji Islands (Stenella attenuata) The spotted dolphin is found worldwide in all temperate and tropical oceans. Its a small species slender dolphin not bigger than a human. At birth they are about 70 cm long and have spotts especially on their belly, these disapear the older the dolphin gets. Spotted dolphins are very active and playfull, offen they appear next to boats to bow ride or ride the wake, they jump high offen doing flips and multiple spinns... Spotted dolphins feed on fish and squid.    In the pacific the spotted dolphin is, like their cousin the spinner dolphins, offten found  following tuna for  which they came under threat as they died by the thousands as by catch in purse sein fishing. Today their numbers are recovering and they are  one of the  most common dolphins in the world . The photos to the right show the use of a dart gun for the collection of skin sample. The  hollow tipped dart bounces of the dolphin and in the  process obtains some skin. The procedure is harmless to the dolphin. During the research project in Lomaiviti, Central Fiji, this was the  first scientificly documented presence of Pantropical Spotted Dolphins in Fiji waters. Anecdotally they are easyly confused with spinner dolphins
Home Pilot Whale Spinner Dolphin Humpback whale Spotted Dolphin False Killer Whale Bottlenose Dolphin Fin whale Guidelines Fiji whalesanctuary
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