Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis )
Family Delphinidae

Description: Rarely reaches over 2.5m in length. On surfacing, the long snout is pushed out of the water and the head and body roll over in a gentle arc. Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins are most readily distinguished by the raised, fleshy hump on the back, from which the backward-curving dorsal fin rises. Body colour is uniform lead-grey, although paler and darker individuals may occur. The shape of the head bears some resemblance to that of the bottlenose dolphin, although the snout is usually more elongate and the forehead, or melon, less distinct. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is one of the most frequently observed species of cetacean in the UAE, commonly in groups of between 2 and 20 individuals. They tend to be fairly shy and sedate, not easily approached by boat or underwater.

Habitat: Restricted to warm, shallow waters where it feeds, primarily over sand, but also over reefs.

Range: Throughout UAE Arabian Gulf waters, where the depth does not exceed 30m. It has not been recorded along the UAE east coast shores, which is odd as this species is known from Musandam.

Comments: Schools of over 30 animals have been sighted on more than one occasion. Smaller groups are resident in the natural and man-made channels near the city of Abu Dhabi and off beaches near Dubai. Local fishermen call this dolphin 'Dukhs'.