The Commerson’s Dolphin | What to Know About This Dolphin in the Falkland Islands

By Csilla Kiss

commerson's dolphins diving in blue water falkland islands shutterstock secret atlas

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The Commerson’s Dolphin | What to Know About This Dolphin in the Falkland Islands

For many explorers, the main draw of Antarctica is its fascinating wildlife. Admittedly, observing the wildlife on this land can be a transformative experience. Among the many unique species found here, one marine mammal is perhaps the most playful animal you can observe.

The antics of these dolphins are a joy to watch and many Antarctic veterans find the Commerson’s Dolphin to be the friendliest creature they have encountered. Sensitive and intelligent, these dolphins are one of the rarest creatures that can be observed from an Antarctic cruise.

Where to find Commerson’s dolphins

The Commerson’s dolphins are found around the globe and their habitats are in two distinct regions. These are two different subspecies of this dolphin.

The South American variant of Commerson’s dolphins live around the coastal stretches of Argentina, southern belts of Chile, and around Tierra del Fuego. They are also found around the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, and around the South Shetland Islands.

The second subspecies is found in the southern Indian Ocean, around Kerguelen Islands. Even though the habitats of these two subspecies are separated by around 8,500 kilometres of ocean, scientists consider them as one species.

two commerson's dolphins jumping in the sea cephalorhynchus commersonii shutterstock secret atlas

Size and appearance of Commerson’s dolphins

Commerson's dolphins have a white body with black patches on their faces, fins, and flukes. The distribution of the black and white coloration varies based on their age, sex, and geographic location.

For many of the species, the black color extends along the sides of the body and also covers the tail fluke. In coastal belts, the colours tend to be more muted.

Commerson's dolphins are among the smallest marine mammals and adults are around 1.5 metres in length. They have small stocky bodies, and lack the beak-like structure or rostrum that most dolphins have. Based on their size, they can weigh between 35 and 65 kg. A layer of blubber below their skin keeps them protected from the cold.

Due to their small size, they are fast swimmers, reaching speeds of 11 to 13 kph. This small dolphin species can maneuver very well and can be seen spinning or leaping from wave crests.

commerson's dolphin shutterstock secret atlas

Varieties of Commerson’s dolphins

The South American variant of the Commerson's dolphin is called the C.c.commersonii and it is the principal subspecies. The second subspecies found in the Indian Ocean is the C.c.kerguelenensis, and it has a smaller population. However, it is larger in size and the dark and grey patterns on their body are not sharply delineated.

Behavior and feeding

The Commerson’s dolphin is a highly active species and can be observed near the shore, surfing on breaking waves. It is not unusual for guests in Antarctica to see this dolphin bow-riding fast-moving zodiacs. Usually, groups of two or three dolphins are seen. But large groups containing over 100 dolphins have also been observed.

Naturally curious and friendly, these dolphins often come close to boats to check what humans are up to. On a calm day, you may find a few dolphins raising their entire heads above the water and observing the activities on the boat.

Commerson's dolphins hunt at night in a group and use echolocation - dolphins and whales use this method similar to sonar in a submarine - to locate their prey. Hunting in a group allows them to herd fish, shrimp, and squid. They often swim upside down for better visual tracking of their prey.

Facts about Commerson’s dolphins

Here are a few interesting facts about Commerson’s dolphins.

Vagrant nature: One of the species was found on South Africa's Agulhas Bank in 2004. The location is thousands of kilometres away from its natural habitat and getting there needed swimming against the Antarctic Circumpolar Current - not an easy task.
Multiple names: These dolphins are often called panda dolphins because of the colouration. They are also known as skunk dolphin, piebald dolphin, or jacobita.
Lifespan: Not much data is available about the lifespan of Commerson’s dolphins. However, they have been known to live for 18 years in aquariums.

commerson's dolphins playing in the waters of magellan straight shutterstock secret atlas

Reproductive facts and sexual differences

The best way to distinguish between the sexes of these small dolphins is by observing the blotch on their belly. In males, it is shaped like a teardrop, whereas it is more rounded in females. The ages of sexual maturity for males and females are nine and six years respectively.

The mating period for these dolphins is between September and February. The gestation period is around 10-11 months. Generally, the females give birth to one calf every two or three years. Mothers and the calves can be seen together during the spring and summer in Antarctica.

Commerson’s dolphin’s diet

Commerson’s dolphins are heavy feeders, consuming between 3.5 to 6 kg of food in a day. This is because of their high activity levels and a metabolic rate that is much higher than that of many other dolphin species.

Conservation of the Commerson’s dolphin

Since Commerson’s dolphins live near coastal areas, they are susceptible to entanglement in fishing nets. Besides, pollutants in the ocean food chain also harm them.

That said, there is not enough data to declare these black and white dolphins as a threatened species. The IUCN - The World Conservation Union have listed them in the “Data Deficient” category. In Argentina, there are multiple regulations to protect this species.

commerson's dolphin cephalorhynchus commersonii) in magellan strait chile shutterstock secret atlas

Expeditions coming soon

We are currently working on the upcoming schedule.

Visit South Georgia and the Falkland Islands with Secret Atlas

A journey with Secret Atlas to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands is an adventure where fixed itineraries are not guaranteed. In this part of the world far away from human interference, the rules of nature dictate everything else.

If you’re looking to experience Commerson’s dolphins, we sometimes run into them upon landing in the Falkland Islands at Port Stanley. This is something you have the chance to witness as you embark on your South Georgia journey.

To find more about our upcoming journeys to Antarctica, get in touch.