Behavior of a bottlenose dolphin

Behavior

These dolphins are well known for breaching high into the air. They can go a distance of up to 16 feet into the air and then splash back down into the water. They may land on their side or their back from such an activity. They are known for their high level of intelligence that makes them easy to train in captivity. They have also been used in a variety of missions by the military that are water related such as finding mines.
It is hard not to like the charismatic personality of the Bottlenose Dolphin. They seem to always be smiling due to the curved look of their mouth. This makes them more approachable to humans that see them either in the wild or in captivity.

Like other dolphin species, they live in groups called pods. This species is very social and they may create very large numbers. However, they also have subgroups within a larger pod that helps with the hierarchy of things. Typically, a pod can be from 10 to 100 members but those with significantly more in them have been identified. They have also been observed in the wild interacting with the Pilot Whale.
They do migrate in for a variety of reasons. This includes the temperature of the water and to find enough food for survival. Many of them have seasonal migrational patterns that they follow annually. Others though will engage in different behaviors based on the variables around them.

Feeding

The Bottlenose Dolphin is going to feed on what it can find in its natural environment of when they migrate. Fish is the most common food source but the species of fish can significantly vary from one location so the next. Another common source of food for them is squid. They rely on echolocation to help them find food resources.

They also work as a team to round up the schools of fish. Different strategies are used to get food too such as fish whacking where they will hit fish with their flukes. They can consume between 10 and 35 pounds of food daily. They don’t chew their food with their teeth, but they do rely on them to hold the prey.

(source:google/http://www.dolphins-world.com/)