About dolphins

In the Black Sea are found three species of cetaceans from two families: Dolphins (Delpninidae) and Porpoises (Phocoenidae).

The body is elongated, torpedo-shaped. The rostrum (the beak) is clearly distinctive. The dorsal fin is big, triangular, tipped and slightly arched backwards. The coloring of the body is dark grey to black on top, whitish underneath, with light grey, yellowish or white patch on both sides in the form of horizontally hourglass or infinite sign. In his mouth the dolphin has numerous sharp teeth.

 

The body is dark grey on top and white underneath. The rostrum (beak) is short, the lower jaw – protruding forward. The dorsal fin is big and triangular, arched backwards. The teeth are conic, much bigger than those of the common dolphin.

The harbour porpoise is the smallest representative of the cetaceans in the Black Sea with body length of 1,3-1,5 m, maximum 1,8 m and average weight 30 kg. The females are a bit larger than the males. The head is short and round, the rostrum (the beak) is not distinctive, the dorsal fin is short, triangular and round. The back is colored in dark grey to black, which gradually converts into white underneath.