Name:Cephalorhynchus heavisidii
Alias:South African dolphin, Hiwig's dolphin, Benguela dolphin
Outline:Cetacea
Family:Delphinidae D.dolphin
length:About 1.74 meters
Weight:60-75kg
Life:About 20 years
IUCN:LC
Haviside's dolphin (scientific name: Cephalorhynchus heavisidii) is called Haviside's dolphin in foreign language, and has no subspecies.
Haviside's dolphin is cautious by nature and sometimes quite shy. It is rare to see them jumping, but they have been known to leap more than 2 meters out of the water, do a quick front flip, and then end the maneuver with a whale's tail on the surface. They may swim when traveling at high speeds. Their response to boats varies, and they have been known to approach the boat for a distance, then swim with their companions for several hours beside the boat, during which they will also ride the bow and stern waves.
Helle's dolphins are social, and the most common groups are composed of 2-3 individuals; single individuals or groups of 4-10 are also common. The largest group consists of 30 individuals, which generally include 10% juveniles. Helle's dolphins become active in the early morning, mainly cruising nearshore waters from sunrise to noon, and active far from the coast the rest of the time. Their daily group movement also reflects the type of prey they eat, especially whiting, which migrates to the upper water layer at night. During the day, the activities of these dolphin groups near the shore are largely related to rest, socializing and avoiding predators. Territory range: 302~1,990km².
Cod and bream account for nearly 49% of the diet of Helleborus dolphins; the second largest food source is Octopods, accounting for about 22%; the rest is kingfish, goby and squid.
The Heymouth dolphin breeds every 2 to 4 years, from spring to late summer. The gestation period is 10 to 11 months, and the female uterus has limited volume, so only one calf is born per litter. The newborn dolphin is about 85 cm long. The lactation period is unknown. Females reach sexual maturity at 5 to 9 years; males at 6 to 9 years.
The global population of Helle's dolphin has not been quantified. The estimated global population (not based on survey data) is about 800-1,000 (Carwardine 2002). Based on observations within 5 nautical miles off the coast of southern Africa, the population density is estimated to be 4.69 per 100 nautical miles, while observations farther offshore are relatively rare (Best 1984).
Listed in Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
Listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Listed in China's "National Key Protected Wildlife List": National Class II Protected Animal (effective December 10, 1988, Cetacean*Other Cetaceans).
Listed in the "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species": Data Deficient (DD), 2008 assessment.
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