Risso’s dolphin
Risso’s dolphin (scient. Grampus griseus) is a species of dolphin that lives in all oceans of the world. This species has relatively small populations in all the Greek seas, with the seas of Crete being among them (mainly sea north of Crete).
They live in groups in open sea, are constantly moving and rarely approach small ships, so it is very difficult to study its populations. When they are in good mood, they approach vessels to play with them, offering a unique spectacle. A difference from other species is that Risso’s dolphin gets relatively easily adapted to captivity, compared to its relative species.
The body length reaches 3.5-4m and it weights 350-400kg. It has a pointed back fin and a rounded forehead. The back has a grayish color, while the color of belly is lighter. The edges of the fins and the tail is black.
The beautiful Risso’s dolphin lives at depths of 200 to 1.700m, at a distance of more than 1km and up to 32km from the nearest coastline. It feeds mainly on cephalopods (squid, cuttlefish, octopus) and some fish. The dolphins can live more than 30 years, become mature in 7 years and their pregnancy lasts 13-14 months.
