Story: Dolphins

Fiordland bottlenose dolphins

Fiordland bottlenose dolphins

Fiordland provides an unusual environment for dolphins. A layer of brown-stained fresh water floats on the sea’s surface, reaching 4 metres deep after rain. The dark colour makes the water mirror-like, reflecting the surrounding cliffs. It cuts out a lot of light, but the dolphins are able to hunt for food using echolocation.

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Photograph by Andrew Troup

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How to cite this page:

Gerard Hutching, 'Dolphins - Bottlenose dolphins', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4684/fiordland-bottlenose-dolphins (accessed 26 April 2024)

Story by Gerard Hutching, published 12 Jun 2006, updated 1 Sep 2015