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About
Long-beaked common dolphins are so called because their beaks make up around 10 percent of their total body length. Although not as colorful as some other types of common dolphins, the long-beaked common dolphin is one of the most elaborately patterned. The top of the body is dark gray and the belly is white. The sides of the dolphin are generally a light gray color towards the tail-end of the animal and pale yellow nearer the head.
Food
Long-beaked common dolphins are carnivorous, and their diet incorporates a wide variety of other sea-life. They hunt smaller schools of fish such as anchovies, sardines and hake, and also other underwater animals such as krill and squid. Being such intelligent mammals, the dolphins sometimes take advantage of the fish that are discarded by fishermen, or which escape from their nets.
Hunting
Although these dolphins are normally found within 110 miles of the shore, in shallower waters, they are capable of diving long distances to catch food. As well as diving up to 900 feet, the dolphins are capable of holding their breath for up to eight minutes. In some areas, the dolphins hunt at night, when their prey moves closer to the surface of the water. They work in groups chasing and disorienting the fish they are hunting until they are able to grab hold of them with their sharp teeth. Long-beaked common dolphins actually have more teeth than any other dolphin species, with two rows of teeth in each jaw. Each row is made up of 47 to 67 teeth.
Threats
It can be very dangerous when the dolphins are drawn to the nets in which fishermen have gathered their catches. What seems like an easy meal to a dolphin may result in the animal becoming accidentally caught up in one of the variety of nets used. There have also been instances where dolphins have been hunted in the waters off the coast of certain countries in South America, namely Venezuela and Peru, where they were most likely hunted for food.