Monday 30 May 2011 Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin - The Lazy Dolphin

The Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is a marine mammal that generally inhabits the tropical and temperate reefs and estuaries of the Pacific ocean and the Indian ocean. Their easternmost range extends to between northern Australia and southern China, while their westernmost range extends to the edges of the Indian ocean and southern Africa. They are most common in the coastal waters surrounding Indonesia.

Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins travel in groups of less than ten individuals, with some groups containing up to 30 individuals. These small, close-knit groups are referred to as pods. They do not have a specific breeding season, and breed all throughout the year. However, they do generally tend to give birth in the summer months between December and February. A generally slow and non-acrobatic marine mammal, males have been known to put on acrobatic displays in order to win mates for breeding.

These dolphins are characterized by their "humped" dorsal fins. Though this hump can be very distinctive in most males, it is not uncommon for males to completely lack this humped dorsal fin. It is also not uncommon for males to have well-defined ridges on their dorsal tail stock. Their bodies are very stocky, making them formidably strong. Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins have bee known to drive off and kill sharks, mostly due to this size and strength. Their beaks are highly defined, and look very distinctive. Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphibclone_tools/getkey.php">