Spinner Dolphin

The spinner dolphin is a small dolphin of offshore tropical waters around the world, famous for its acrobatic displays in which it rotates around its long axis as it leaps through the air. It is a member of the oceanic dolphin family, Delphinidae, and its range extends across the tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans (Wikipedia, general species account).

It follows a diurnal schedule with predictable daily movements, spending mornings resting and socialising in shallow coastal waters before travelling offshore. In the Sri Lankan offshore survey it was the most numerous cetacean, with groups of up to about 500 (de Vos et al. 2012).