Physical Description
The Pacific white-sided dolphin has three colors. The chin, throat and belly are creamy white. The beak, flippers, back, and dorsal fin are a dark gray. There are light gray patches on the sides and a further light gray stripe running from above the eye to below the dorsal fin where it thickens along the tail stock. A dark gray ring surrounds the eyes.
The species is an average-sized oceanic dolphin. Females weigh up to 150 kilograms (330 lb) and males 200 kilograms (440 lb) with males reaching 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) and females 2.3 meters (7.5 ft) in length. Pacific white-sided dolphins tend to be larger than dusky dolphins. Females reach maturity at 7 years. The gestation period is one year. Individuals live 40 years or more.
The Pacific white-sided dolphin is extremely active and mixes with many of the other north Pacific cetacean species. It readily approaches boats and bow-rides. Large groups are common; averaging 90 individuals, with supergroups of more than 300. Prey is mainly hake, anchovies, squid, herring, salmon and cod.
They have an average of 60 teeth.
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