Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Sighting evidence at Motu Nui Pinnacle, Easter Island
Photo: Frank Krasovec · CC BY-NC
Resident bottlenose dolphins around Motu Nui are among the most interactive underwater dolphin encounters in the Pacific, frequently approaching divers with curiosity and escorting them along the wall for extended periods. Their social complexity is evident in the varied behaviors visible here — mothers with calves, juveniles at play, and adults coordinating hunts over the submerged reef shelf. Because Easter Island supports no large fishing fleet, the dolphins here have had little negative contact with humans and remain genuinely curious.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Bottlenose Dolphin is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.