Stenella attenuata
Silhouette: Chris huh · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) is a species of dolphin found in all the world's temperate and tropical oceans. The species was beginning to come under threat due to the killing of millions of individuals in tuna purse seines. In the 1980s, the rise of "dolphin-friendly" tuna capture methods saved millions of the species in the eastern Pacific Ocean and it is now one of the most abundant dolphin species in the world.
The species was first described by John Gray in 1846. Gray's initial analysis included the Atlantic spotted dolphin in this species. They are now regarded as separate. Both the genus and specific names come from Latin words meaning thin or thinning.
Two subspecies of the pantropical spotted dolphin are recognized: S. a. attenuata or the offshore pantropical spotted dolphin, found worldwide in tropical waters S. a. graffmani or the coastal pantropical spotted dolphin, found in coastal waters in the eastern tropical Pacific
Another unnamed subspecies, which inhabits inland Hawaiian waters, was recognized in Rice (1998)'s overview of marine mammal taxonomy. The pantropical spotted dolphin varies significantly in size... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coiba National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Piedras Blancas National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | Marino Ballena National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Corcovado National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 5 | Manuel Antonio National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taiji Whale Museum | 🇯🇵 Japan |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pantropical Spotted Dolphin sighting in Manuel Antonio National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 18th most-seen of the 18 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, April, June–July and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pantropical Spotted Dolphin in Manuel Antonio National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, March, May and August–November, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pantropical Spotted 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.
5th of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Pantropical Spotted Dolphin sightings, Manuel Antonio National Park ranks 5th at about 10%. The best odds are in Coiba National Park (Panama, about 50%), Piedras Blancas National Park (Costa Rica, about 20%) and Marino Ballena National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pantropical Spotted Dolphin is recorded against all the mammals logged in Manuel Antonio National Park (5 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.
