World Dolphin Day

When is World Dolphin Day 2026?

World Dolphin Day (also known as International Dolphin Day and Dolphin Awareness Day) is held on 12th September each year.

The day is an opportunity to celebrate dolphins, to share information about their intelligence and sentience, and to promote conservation initiatives.

It’s also a chance to raise awareness of the threats dolphins are facing. These include hunting, commercial exploitation, entanglement in fishing gear, and habitat loss due to human activities.

3 facts about dolphins

1. Dolphins call each other by name

Dolphins use a unique whistle to identify each other, much like humans use names. When dolphins hear their own whistle played back to them, they respond. Researchers think this skill helps dolphins stick together even when they can’t see one another.

2. Dolphins live in complex social groups

Dolphins are deeply social animals, living in groups called pods that can range from a handful of individuals to hundreds. Within these pods, they form close bonds, hunt cooperatively, and look out for each other. They support injured or sick pod members and help females during birth.

3. River dolphins help us track the health of their aquatic ecosystems

River dolphins are apex predators and a keystone species. Where river dolphin populations thrive, the wider ecosystem tends to as well. Sadly, all river dolphin species are currently threatened or endangered. This is concerning for the ecosystem as a whole.

Why do dolphins need our protection?

Dolphins in the wild face a number of threats. These include ocean pollution, climate change, and habitat loss.

Dolphins are frequently killed and injured by commercial fishing gear. Rising sea temperatures are impacting dolphins’ ability to reproduce. Human activities are damaging dolphin habitats, including coastal areas, rivers, and the open ocean.

And that’s not all. Dolphin hunting is still legal in some countries, and many dolphins are kept in captivity. They’re living in stressful and unnatural conditions, and are forced to perform for paying customers. 

World Dolphin Day FAQs

Do dolphins sleep?

Yes, dolphins sleep — but in a very different way to humans. Only one half of a dolphin’s brain sleeps at any given time. This allows the other half of the brain to stay alert, so dolphins can watch for danger and surface to breathe, even while resting.

Is a dolphin a mammal?

Yes, dolphins are mammals, not fish. They breathe air through their lungs, are warm-blooded, give birth to live young, and produce milk to nurse their young.

How long do dolphins live?

Most wild dolphins live between 30 and 50 years, with females tending to live slightly longer than males.

Where do dolphins live?

Dolphins live in oceans, seas, and some rivers across the world. They can be found in cold, tropical, and temperate waters, in salt and freshwater habitats, in coastal areas, and in the open ocean.

Are pink dolphins real?

Yes, they are. The Amazon River dolphin and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin are known for their pink colouration. These dolphins are found in freshwater habitats, and their skin turns pink as they mature. Males tend to be bigger and pinker than females.

How long can a dolphin hold its breath?

Dolphins can hold their breath for five to ten minutes, depending on the species. But they typically surface to breathe a couple of times a minute.