Sousa plumbea
Silhouette: Chris huh · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) is a member of the Delphinidae family occupying coastal areas ranging from Southern Africa to Western Indochina. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) was formerly included within the same species, but a 2014 study revealed them to be a separate species.
The most limiting factor to habitat-usage is water depth, with most specimens remaining in waters shallower than 20 meters. As a result, the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin's offshore range is largely dependent on the coastlines' specific physiographical characteristics. The species has been reported to inhabit nearly every type of coastal habitat, although preference and prominence of any given habitat type is highly dependent on the geographical location. Indian Ocean humpback dolphins experience extremely high rates of calf and juvenile mortality due to anthropogenic disturbances such as environmental pollution, habitat deterioration and noise pollution.
Indian Ocean humpback dolphins are social delphinids that live in groups averaging twelve individuals, although group size can be highly variable. The majority of their diet is composed of sciaenid fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans.
The species is currently categorized as Endangered. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | De Hoop Nature Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Humpback Dolphin sighting in Garden Route National Park on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 24th most-seen of the 35 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June to October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Humpback Dolphin in Garden Route National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November to May, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Indian Humpback 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.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Indian Humpback Dolphin sightings, Garden Route National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in De Hoop Nature Reserve (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Delphinidae
The closest relatives of the Indian Humpback Dolphin that you can see in Garden Route National Park (family Delphinidae, Oceanic Dolphins) are Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (about 10%) and Bottlenose Dolphin (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Indian Humpback Dolphin is recorded against all the mammals logged in Garden Route National Park (14 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.
