Bottlenose Dolphin

The Bottlenose Dolphin is probably the best-known species, the one you are most likely to see performing in a show at an aquarium. It is the largest of the 'beaked' dolphins. It is very popular with human beings, partly because of its fixed facial expression that resembles a 'smile'.

In the wild, the Bottlenose lives all over the world, especially off the coast of Europe and North America. It is similar to the Common Dolphin, but is much larger. The largest ones grow to about 12 feet and weigh as much as 800 lb.