One of the most fascinating and unusual members of the dolphin family, it is best known for its unexpected and eye-catching pink coloration. Found in warm, shallow coastal waters stretching from South Africa and India to Southeast Asia and southern China, this dolphin is a true coastal specialist, living in bays, estuaries, mangrove channels, and nearshore waters rather than the open sea. At first glance, it doesn’t look like the classic streamlined gray dolphin most people imagine. Adults can range in color from light gray to almost pure white, and in some populations—most famously in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta—they appear a bright bubblegum pink. This isn’t pigment, but rather a result of blood vessels close to the skin that help regulate body temperature, flushing more blood to the surface to cool the animal down.
Another feature that makes the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin distinct is its hump beneath the dorsal fin. This hump, formed of fatty tissue and sometimes bone, is not found in most other dolphins, giving this species a slightly uneven profile. Their dorsal fin itself is smaller and more rounded than that of sleek offshore dolphins like the bottlenose, which fits their slower, more maneuverable swimming style in shallow waters. Their appearance alone sets them apart, but it’s their behavior and lifestyle that really highlight how different they are.
Unlike dolphins that roam the open seas in large pods, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins usually live in small groups, often just a handful of individuals or sometimes up to 20. These groups are highly social, communicating with whistles, clicks, and playful body language like breaching or tail slapping. They feed mainly on fish, squid, and crustaceans, often hunting cooperatively by driving schools of fish toward shallow areas where escape is harder.
Distribution
Bangladesh
Brunei
Cambodia
China
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
VietnamAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Group
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
