Facts about Australian Humpbacked Dolphin
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Social bonds between Australian humpbacked dolphins strengthen through synchronized swimming and physical contact, with mothers investing 3-4 years in calf care and teaching essential foraging skills.
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Coastal populations of Australian humpbacked dolphins face significant threats from gillnets and fishing gear entanglement, with conservation status assessments indicating declining numbers in several key habitats.
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Gestation periods for the Australian humpbacked dolphin last approximately 11 months, with calves typically born during spring and summer months in their coastal habitats.
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Australian humpbacked dolphins consume primarily fish and crustaceans, with studies showing mullet and threadfin bream comprise up to 60 percent of their diet in some coastal regions.
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In shallow coastal waters, Australian humpbacked dolphins live in small groups of 3-6 individuals, though occasionally aggregations of up to 15 dolphins gather around productive feeding areas.
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Male Australian humpbacked dolphins develop a pronounced dorsal hump around age 20-25, with older males showing more exaggerated humps than younger individuals.
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These dolphins produce clicks at frequencies up to 130 kilohertz for echolocation in murky coastal waters where visibility is extremely limited.
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Growing up to 2.6 meters long, the Australian humpbacked dolphin inhabits coastal waters from Shark Bay in Western Australia to northern Queensland.