Hobbies And Interests
Winter Movement
As a basic rule all migrating animals move south for the winter to take advantage of warmer temperatures and dolphins are no different. Dolphins appear as far north as Nova Scotia and Scandinavia during the summer, but are more likely to be found further south during the winter. A key reason for migration for bottlenose dolphins is the movement of fish as it is essential that they follow a food source.
Oceans
In the Atlantic Ocean bottlenose dolphins roam everywhere the water temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius. This gives it a range from southerly parts of Canada and Cap Cod all the way to the southern tip of South America and from Norway to South Africa. In the Pacific their range is more limited from California to Chile and Japan and Australia. The Indian ocean is warmer all year round so there is less migratory movement. Other bottlenoses stay isolated in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Set Patterns
Unlike most animals and birds, bottlenose dolphins have no set migratory pattern. They move as the temperature of the seas change and relocate to where the water is warm enough, rather than a specific movement schedule. Compare this to salmon that migrate to the same place at the same time each year.
Coastal Dolphins
Coastal dolphins tend to stay much closer to land, usually within 5 miles of the coast. Waters tend to be warmer in these areas due to human activity and shallower depths. This means coastal dolphins tend to migrate less. Some will even stay in the same area all year round. Some will move further South during winter, but still nowhere near as far as offshore dolphins.