They are agile! They are quirky! They are adorable! And they are found in Belize! Yup I’m talking about dolphins: the graceful and beautiful mammals of the sea. The most common species found within the Caribbean waters of Belize are the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), but, for those lucky enough, migratory species can be seen too.
Dolphins are such lovable creatures, that on April 14th of each year, people across the world participate in National Dolphin Day. Dolphins are known to have acute eyesight both in and out of the water along with having a well-developed sense of touch, with free nerve endings densely packed in the skin. They can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of what adult humans can and are capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal air sacs located just below the blowhole.
Here in Belize, dolphins are most commonly seen in are Blackbird Caye and the three main atolls: Glover’s Reef, Lighthouse Reef and Turneffe. But they can also be found in the waters that surround Ambergris Caye riding the bow wave of boats.
Dolphins are always a fun sight and getting the chance to snorkel/dive with them is even better! But be cautious, these are wild and curious animals, so keep a distance – in my opinion wildlife is best observed from afar where we cannot disturb their natural way of life.
Join in the movement and celebrate dolphins across the world by using #NationalDolphinDay to post on social media.