Risso's dolphin

Up close, Risso’s dolphins are hard to be mistaken for anything else. Risso’s dolphins are born dark grey, but over time they obtain scarring due to interactions with other Risso’s dolphins and from their main prey; squid. These scars stay white, so over time, the scars can accumulate to the point where the animal can appear completely white. Risso’s dolphins have a tall, sickle-shaped fin which is dark and rarely scarred. The dorsal fin can easily be mistaken for that of a killer whale if seen from a distance due to its height and colour. They have a bulbous forehead and an indistinctive beak, and a large robust, torpedo-shaped body. 

Key features: 

• Rounded melon, blunt face - no beak 
• Tall, falcate, dark dorsal fin 
• Pale scarring on body of adults, which increases with age 
• Travel in tight pods, often chorus-lining