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Large mammals
Heaviside's dolphin
Heaviside's dolphin · Cephalorhynchus heavisidii
Heaviside's dolphins use coastal waters and the early morning hours for lively hunts, often accompanied by spectacular leaps and conspicuous blows when they surface to breathe.
Fact file
- Size
- Up to 1.7 metres long, rarely weighing more than 75 kilograms
- Males and females
- Females and males look very similar, females are slightly larger
- Sounds
- Short clicking sounds for echolocation, few vocal songs
- Diet
- Mainly small fish, squid and crustaceans
- Offspring
- One calf is born every 2 to 4 years after about 11 months of gestation
How to identify Heaviside's dolphin
Heaviside's dolphins are small, compact dolphins with strikingly contrasting colouration. Their back, flanks and fins are dark grey to almost black. The head and underside show a silvery light grey pattern that starts with a white patch on the throat and extends down to the belly.
In profile, the triangular dorsal fin and the short, rounded snout stand out. Heaviside's dolphins reach around 1.7 metres in length and rarely weigh more than 75 kilograms. Their almost torpedo-shaped silhouette without a pronounced beak is characteristic.
More in the app
With Wildful Stories+ you also get in the app:
- general viewing tips
- 4 places where you can see Heaviside's dolphin
Where Heaviside's dolphin live
South Africa
Discover Heaviside's dolphin on your trip.
The app shows you where and when to see wildlife along your route.
