Dolphin fact

This is a clear shot of the underbelly of a Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis), showing the gender of the animal!

Male common dolphin

The only way to determine a dolphin’s gender in the wild is to see a clear view of their genitals, or to observe an erection, act of intercourse, or a baby swimming close to an adult presumed to be a female.
On the underside of their belly, males have two separate slits, or grooves. One is called the genital groove and the other the anal groove. They lie in line with each other such that the grooves of a male resemble an exclamation point.
Females have one continuous slit which houses both the anal and genital openings. Females also have a set of slits housing the mammary glands. These slits flank either side of the genital slit.

Common dolphins copulating

Over the last weeks we have had big groups of Common dolphins cruising through the area. We have had several customers going out to sea already to swim with these acrobatic and happy creatures, and some of the swims have been amazing. The visibility has been clear and the dolphins interactive!
In the Azores it is allowed to swim with 5 different species of dolphin! Bottlenose dolphins, Common dolphins, Striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, Risso’s dolphins.

If you are interested in joining us for the swim of a lifetime, contact us at whales@gmx.net.

Copyright: Robert M. Lehmann