Delphinus delphis
Silhouette: Chris huh · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
The common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is the most abundant cetacean in the world, with an estimated global population of about six million. It is currently the only member of the genus Delphinus, the type genus of the subfamily Delphininae. This places it as a close relative of the bottlenose dolphin, humpback dolphin, striped dolphin, spinner dolphin, Clymene dolphin, spotted dolphin, Fraser's dolphin, the tucuxi, and the Guiana dolphin.
The common dolphin was once divided into two different species, the short-beaked common dolphin and the long-beaked common dolphin. These are now generally regarded as ecotypes. Recent research shows that many long-beaked populations worldwide are not closely related to one another, often originating from short-beaked ancestors, and they do not consistently share the same derived traits. For this reason, these forms are no longer classified as separate species.
Despite its name, the common dolphin is not widely considered the "archetypal" dolphin; that role is more often associated with the bottlenose dolphin, largely because of its frequent appearances in aquaria and the media. Nevertheless, the common dolphin held cultural significance in antiquity and frequently appeared in Greek and Roman art, such as in murals created by the Minoan civilization. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 5 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lisbon | 🇵🇹 Portugal | |
| 2 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Aquarium of New Zealand | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Dolphin sighting in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, based on 105 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 22 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–February, May–July and November
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Dolphin in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, against about 20% in September, the lowest month.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Dolphin sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Common Dolphin sightings, Channel Islands National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Bahía de Loreto National Park (Mexico, about 30%) and Wilsons Promontory National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Delphinidae
The closest relatives of the Common Dolphin that you can see in Channel Islands National Park (family Delphinidae, Oceanic Dolphins) are Bottlenose Dolphin (about 20%), Risso's Dolphin (about 10%) and Killer Whale (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Dolphin is recorded against all the mammals logged in Channel Islands National Park (105 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
