Even in its native Chile, the Chilean dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia) is only known to a few people.
With a body length of 1.6 m and a weight of around 60 kg, it is one of the smallest dolphin species and its back and sides are colored in various shades of grey. The ventral side is white and the beak is barely pronounced. The flipper and fin are rounded.
Its range extends from Cape Horn to Valparaiso and it prefers shallow coastal waters and bays and is loyal to its location.
Chilean dolphins are quite shy and inconspicuous. The animals live in small but non-permanent groups of usually 2 to 5 individuals. Several groups often come together to hunt fish.
Virtually nothing is known about their migratory behavior, social structure, diet and reproduction.
Dangers
The Chilean dolphin(Cephalorhynchus eutropia) lives along the open coast and in the Chiloé archipelago, where they occur close to dense human settlements and fishing activities and their populations are therefore endangered.
Bycatch in gillnets, direct catch for baiting crab traps, intensification of aquaculture, pollution and habitat destruction are the biggest threats.
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