DOLPHINS IN THE ARABIAN GULF

Finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) Red List Category and criteria: vulnerable

“Very little information is available on this species and taxonomy is an issue. It is one of the most elusive dolphins and among the least studied, with a distribution ranging from China through to Thailand, India and the Arabian Gulf. Finless porpoises are difficult to identify due to the lack of a prominent dorsal fin and their small size. In the Gulf they are a uniform dark-grey colour. They are coastal species that favour sandy and marsh areas. These elusive animals have only been recorded a handful of times and being coastal, have been critically affected by human activity and habitat destruction.”

Source: UAE Dolphin Project

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) Red List category and criteria: data deficient

“It is probably the most recognisable of all dolphin species, with its steel-grey skin tone, triangular dorsal fin and long rostrum, and it is found along the coastline of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It differs from the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), showing smaller size, longer rostrum and ventral spotting. However, the Tursiops observed in the Gulf sometimes lack some of these characteristics, leaving the question open as to whether they represent a different subspecies or if both species occur. Bottlenose dolphins can be found in small groups but also in big groups of up to 40 individuals. They often approach boats.”

Source: UAE Dolphin Project

Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) Red List category and criteria: data deficient

These dolphins are characterised by conspicuous humps and elongated dorsal fins found on adults of the species. The dorsal fin is to some degree curved. The pectoral fins are small. Adults can reach from 1.8 to 2.6 metres and weigh from 100 to 139 kilograms. They typically live in water less than 25 metres deep. “They play a very important role in the marine ecosystem, but in some way also facilitate the equilibrium of the full ecosystem,” said Bruno Diaz Lopez, director of the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute.

Source: Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute