Fraser Dolphins

Classification: The British Museum's F. C. Fraser identified this species in 1956 from a skeleton discovered in Sarawak, Borneo.

Because it had characteristics of both the Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and those in the genus Lagenorhynchus, he assigned a new genus - Lagenodelphis.
The specific name is derived from the collector of the skeleton, C. Hose.

Local Names: Sarawak Dolphin; Shortsnout Dolphin; Bornean Dolphin; White-Bellied Dolphin; Fraser's Porpoise.

Description: Fraser's Dolphin is robust and has small pointed flippers and dorsal fin.
The cape is dark blue-grey or grey-brown in colour.

The beak is short, dark on the upper jaw and around the lips. The chin area, throat and belly are creamy white.
Flippers are dark, and a series of grey-black lines connect the flippers to the beak.
A grey-cream line stretches from melon to the flanks, separating the dorsal cape from a dark grey to black lateral stripe that extends backward from the face.
Adults measure between 2m and 2.65m in length. Large animals can weigh around 200kg.

Recognition at sea: Fraser's Dolphins are most likely to be confused with Common Dolphins and Striped Dolphins, both of which have longer beaks and larger flippers and dorsals.

Habitat: Fraser's Dolphins prefer deep offshore waters in tropical and warm temperate areas.

Food & Feeding: Fraser's Dolphins take a wide variety of fish, squid and crustaceans. It is thought they hunt at night.

Behaviour: This species is normally found in herds of at least one hundred, often socialising with other cetaceans.
Although active at the surface, they do not appear playful. Little else is known.

Longevity: Unknown.

Estimated Current Population: Unknown.

Back to whale watching