Fauna
Mammal

Risso's Dolphin

Grampus griseus

Also known as Grampus, Grey Dolphin, White-headed Dolphin

Risso's dolphins carry a lifetime of stories etched into their skin, accumulating white scars from social interactions and skirmishes with their deep-sea squid prey. These robust, blunt-headed cetaceans navigate continental slopes and deep ocean trenches, using highly sophisticated echolocation to hunt in the darkness of the twilight zone. They form stable, long-term social subgroups within larger pods, often socializing at the surface with playful leaps and tail slaps.

Deep-DivingOceanicSocial
Risso's Dolphin reference
(c) Daniel Benák, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Benák · cc-by
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySquid, Octopus, Cuttlefish
Predators
  • Killer Whale
  • Great White Shark
ThreatsBycatch in fishing gear, marine noise pollution, plastic ingestion
HabitatsTemperate and tropical oceans, continental slopes, deep water trenches
Life span35 to 40 years
Classification
  1. FamilyDelphinidae
  2. SpeciesGrampus griseus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe from a boat at a respectful distance.
What to notice
Look for a robust, grey body heavily marked with white scratches and a distinctively blunt, beakless head.
Support conservation
Never approach directly or cut off their path; allow them to initiate any close encounters on their own terms.
Responsible observation
  • Boat Distance: Maintain a slow, steady speed and stay at least 100 yards away to avoid disrupting their natural behavior.
  • Listen Closely: Listen for their distinctive clicks, whistles, and loud breathing blows when they surface near your vessel.
  • Watch the Surface: Look for their tall, dark, falcate dorsal fins and pale, heavily scarred heads breaking the water.
Related species
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