Whale-watchers in Mexico recently experienced the surprise of a lifetime when they encountered a rare group of dolphins on the last day of their excursion. These elusive, ghost-like dolphins are rarely seen in person, but the boat just happened to be in the right place at the right time to spot them. According to Discover Wildlife, a whale-watching group in Mexico spotted an enormous pod of Risso’s dolphins in August!
“They were shy and diving for long periods, keeping their distance,” Niklas Manger, operations manager at Apex Ocean Divers, told the outlet. They watched and waited for an hour, then managed to capture footage of these typically elusive animals using a drone camera.
“To our surprise, the animals turned out to be Risso’s dolphins, socializing in a tightly knit group,” Manger continued. “It was a true gift of the ocean.”
Risso’s dolphins change colors throughout their lives, eventually becoming a pale gray or white in adulthood.
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You can watch a video of these stunning creatures on Instagram, posted by Manger. They swim in the sea, looking mesmerizing. “A true ghost-like dolphin. Their pale, scratched-up skin [tells] hundreds of deep-sea stories,” Manger described them in his caption. “From playful sparring to battles with squid, their favorite prey. These types of dolphins are rarely seen anywhere near shore, making an encounter like this extra special.”
In the interview with Discover Wildlife, Manger explained that after watching the dolphins for a while, many more started popping up. “The ocean surface came alive with movement,” he explained. “Spouts and dorsal fins dotted the horizon in every direction, with small groups surfacing and diving in unison.” He estimated about 1,000 dolphins were swimming in total, completely stunning the group.
“The sheer scale of the pod, moving together in perfect harmony, made it a truly magical day on the water,” he added.
What Are Risso’s Dolphins?
Risso’s dolphins typically have a lot of scarring on their bodies due to hunting prey and fighting with others.
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Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) are some of the largest dolphins in the world. They can reach lengths of up to 13 feet and weigh up to 1,100 pounds! These dolphins change color throughout their lives, starting out dark gray and darkening to black as juveniles before lightening again as adults. When they swim underwater, they can appear completely white, like apparitions floating in the ocean’s depths.
They have blunt heads and teeth only on their lower jaws, and many of them have extensive scarring from fighting with their own kind and from damage received from the beaks and tentacles of their favorite food, squid. They are big and beautiful, but rarely seen — until now. These creatures have an estimated lifespan of at least 35 years and are considered “Least Concern” by the IUCN.
Where Are They Typically Found?
Risso’s dolphins are found in the temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones of all the world’s oceans, according to NOAA Fisheries. In the Northern Hemisphere, their range includes the Gulf of Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, the Northwest Atlantic from Florida to Newfoundland, the Azores, Norway, Japan, Russia, and the Red Sea. They also appear in the Mediterranean Sea. In the Southern Hemisphere, their range includes Argentina, Australia, Chile, South Africa, and New Zealand. They generally prefer deeper offshore waters, typically near the edge and slope of the continental shelf. They will dive at least 1,000 feet underwater and can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes.
Risso’s dolphins will surface during the day, but they are rarely seen in the wild.
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Risso’s dolphins tend to gather along the California and Pacific Northwest coasts and have become increasingly common in the Southern California Bight, which extends to the Mexican border. Although they typically only gather in groups of 10-30 individuals at a time, they have been known to form “super pods,” with up to a few thousand dolphins at once. This is likely what the Mexican tourists witnessed during their excursion.
How Do Risso’s Dolphins Act?
In addition to fighting with other Risso’s dolphins or hunting for prey, Risso’s dolphins are social creatures. They sometimes associate with other marine life, such as bottlenose dolphins, gray whales, northern right whale dolphins, and Pacific white-sided dolphins, according to NOAA Fisheries. These dolphins generally spend their nights in deep water hunting for squid, octopuses, and other cephalopods, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium. During the day, they may leap out of the water and play, but are usually too far from shore to be seen.
What Are the Threats to the Risso’s Dolphins?
Entanglement in commercial fishing gear, ocean noise that interrupts their normal behavior, and contaminants in the water all threaten Risso’s dolphins. They have also been hunted for meat and oil in certain countries, further endangering the species. Keeping the earth clean and safe is the best way to protect these beautiful dolphins.
