Spinner Dolphins
This week on Noosa Oceanrider we were treated to a spectacular aerial acrobatic display by Spinner Dolphins. As the name suggests, they can spin multiple times in one leap, which can be nearly 3 metres high.
The spinner dolphins are small in size between 1.3 to 2 metres and weighing in at 60 to 80 kilos. They live in large pods anywhere between a few dozen to a thousand or more in tropical and subtropical zones around the world. They feed at night in the open ocean and return to the shallows during the day to rest and socialise.
The maneuvers are thought to assist in ridding the mammal of unwanted parasites as well as a way to communicate in addition to the usual clicking communication system used by other species of dolphins.
They are very playful dolphins and had a great time with the Oceanrider jumping in the wake, bow riding and putting on a show for our lucky guests.