Meet the Spinner Dolphin

Perhaps one of the most acrobatic cetaceans out there, the spinner dolphin gets its name from - you guessed it - spinning! These dolphins are known to leap out of the water at great speeds, and can spin up to 7 times before hitting the surface! We’re still not completely sure why they perform this action, though there are several theories. One is that they spin for communication and acoustic signaling. Another suggests that they use it to rid themselves of parasites and small fishes like remoras. You can imagine how annoying it’d be to have a fish hitch a ride and having no arms to remove them!

Have you ever seen a spinner dolphin before? Tell us where!