Risso's Dolphin
Grampus griseus
Identification
Risso`s Dolphins are large dolphins, uniquely patterned and almost unmistakeable. They are similar to and closely related to pilot whales, with a blunt round head and occur in large social groups, occasionally forming vast widely dispersed pods of perhaps thousands of animals. Young Risso`s are grey or brown above but quickly whiten with age, as they become scarred all over the body, a distinctive feature presumably developed through aggressive interaction with others of this species, or during prey capture. The dorsal fin is very tall, rounded on the leading edge and hooked on the trailing edge. The head is blunt, with a shallow, vertical groove on the front of the melon. The flippers are long, curved and pointed at the tip. Risso`s tend not to approach vessels readily.
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