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Indian Humpback Dolphin

Whales, Dolphins & Dugong

Photo: pavlaki1968 · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)

Sousa plumbea

Basic stats

Diet

Mostly sciaenid fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans

Habitat

Coastal waters, mostly shallower than 20m

Range

Coasts from southern Africa to western Indochina, including India

Size

2–2.8m

Weight

150–200kg

The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin is a medium-sized dolphin of coastal waters from southern Africa to western Indochina, including East Africa, the Middle East and India. It was once lumped with the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, but a 2014 study showed them to be separate species. It measures 2–2.8 m and weighs 150–200 kg. A fatty hump on the back distinguishes it from the Indo-Pacific species, and it is generally dark grey, with young animals darker above than below (Wikipedia, general species account).

Most animals stay in water shallower than 20 m. It lives in groups that average about a dozen, although group size varies widely and some exceed 100. The diet is mostly sciaenid fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans. Living in shallow coastal water exposes it to pollution, by-catch, vessel strikes and noise, and calf and juvenile mortality from such disturbance is very high (Wikipedia, general species account). The cached account gives nothing specific to India.

Quick answers

What does the Indian Humpback Dolphin eat?
Mostly sciaenid fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans
What habitat does the Indian Humpback Dolphin live in?
Coastal waters, mostly shallower than 20m
Where is the Indian Humpback Dolphin found?
Coasts from southern Africa to western Indochina, including India
How big is the Indian Humpback Dolphin?
2–2.8m
How much does the Indian Humpback Dolphin weigh?
150–200kg
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