Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin's ( Lagenorhynchus obliquidens ) are a playful marine mammal that we often observe while we travel in and around the Johnstone Strait area. Often confused with other small cetacean species such as the Dall's porpoise and common Dolphin, the Pacific White Sided dolphin can be identified by their very distinct 'V' shaped dorsal cape and recognizable black and white patterned body. Their beak is dark and there is a black ring around the eyes. The Pacific White sided Dolphin reaches a length of 1.7 - 2.4 m (5.5 - 7.9 ft.) and a weight of 85 - 150 kg (187 - 550 lbs).

Generally speaking, these animals prefer deep waters with a surface temperature of 6 -17ºC, however they are often seen travelling in groups that range in size from 30 to several hundred in the inshore waters, and the group sizes can reach the thousands in other locals.

They are a very outgoing species that are generally not afraid of the presence of people and are sometimes very entertaining. They like to ride the bow wake of boats, and will often leap and porpoise at high speed. Pacific White-Sided Dolphins associate frequently with Rissio's Dolphins, Common Dolphins, and, less commonly, with baleen whales. Their average life span is 45 years and their main food source consists mainly of squid, herring, sardines and anchovies, eating approximately 20 pounds (9 kg) of food per day.