Dolphins live in a wide variety of aquatic habitats across the world, primarily in temperate and tropical waters of the oceans. They can be found in open oceans, coastal waters such as bays, inlets, harbors, and estuaries, as well as some important rivers. Most dolphin species prefer warmer waters, generally between 10°C and 32°C (50°F to 90°F). However, the range of habitats varies by species. Specifically:
- Bottlenose dolphins, one of the most common species, live worldwide in temperate and tropical coastal and offshore waters, including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and Black Seas. They are found in areas ranging from northern Japan to Australia and from Nova Scotia to Patagonia.
- Some dolphins live in freshwater environments, such as the Amazon river dolphin, the Yangtze river dolphin, the Indus river dolphin, and the Ganges river dolphin, which live primarily or exclusively in rivers.
- Dolphins tend to avoid very cold waters like those around the Arctic and Antarctic.
- Dolphins adapt to their habitats depending on factors like water temperature, depth, availability of prey, and environmental characteristics, with some populations migrating seasonally to follow food sources or warmer waters.
Thus, dolphins live in almost all marine environments worldwide except the coldest polar oceans, and some species also inhabit freshwater rivers.