Pacific White-Sided Dolphins
Pacific white-sided dolphins are a temperate species of cetacean characterized by the unique coloring that gives them their name, their playful nature and incredible acrobatic abilities.
For more than 30 years, Shedd has been at the forefront of research on these magnificent marine mammals, working with partner institutions to better understand their hearing, reproduction, social behavior and more. By unraveling these mysteries, we're gaining invaluable insights into the lives of these dolphins. The findings can help influence policies and other critical protections for Pacific white-sided dolphins in the wild.
All About Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Pacific white-sided dolphins (Aethalodelphis obliquidens) inhabit deep, cool waters in the northern Pacific Ocean, from China and Russia to Alaska, Canada, United States and Baja California, Mexico. They can range in size from about 200-400 pounds and 5-8 feet long, with males typically growing larger than females.
Their coloring, called countershading, helps them stay camouflaged from predators. Their dark backs blend into the deep ocean when viewed from above, and their white bellies are hard to see against a bright sky when viewed from below.
Individual dolphins can make distinctive vocalizations through their blowholes to identify themselves, much like a name. They can also jump up to 20 feet out of the water as a way of communicating with fellow dolphins or to see above the surface.
Care and Wellbeing
Shedd Aquarium has long been committed to animal wellbeing and providing exemplary care, enrichment and veterinary services for all the animals at the aquarium, including the Pacific white-sided dolphins. The dolphins’ 3-million-gallon home in the Abbott Oceanarium was specifically designed with their needs in mind, recreating a cold, saltwater environment of the Pacific Northwest coast.
This group of dolphins at Shedd, called a pod, moves between several habitat spaces throughout the day, socializing all together or in groupings that can fluctuate throughout the year. This encourages connections and interactions between different individuals as part of their holistic care.
Daily water quality tests ensure that parameters like temperature, pH, salinity and more are within healthy levels, fostering an environment that helps the animals thrive. The water sometimes appears cloudy because it's rich in nutrients essential for the wellbeing of the dolphins.
The dolphins can be seen interacting with more than 100 enrichment devices in rotation like spray hoses, balls and felt-like carwash material that mimics kelp. Animal enrichment provides the dolphins, and every animal at the aquarium, with opportunities for mental stimulation or physical activity, as well as encourages and complements unique behaviors and adaptations to enhance their overall wellbeing.
The group eats a wide variety of sustainably sourced, restaurant-quality and nutritious seafood including squid, capelin and herring. Each dolphin can eat 25 to 30 pounds of food per day!
Trusting relationships between caretakers and the dolphins allow for each animal to participate in their own healthcare. With mobile animal health equipment readily available, we can swiftly address any healthcare needs within the habitat, ranging from preventative care like physical exams to urgent or emergent care requirements.
Advancements in Care
Shedd is one of only two aquariums in the United States where you can see Pacific white-sided dolphins. Partnership between our facilities allows us to make greater contributions to the collective understanding of the species and the challenges facing their wild counterparts.
Shedd has also proactively sought out expert, third-party evaluations, like the Cetacean Welfare Assessment, and participated in multi-institutional studies like the cetacean study with Brookfield Zoo Chicago. We have implemented the suggested improvements from these efforts to ensure we continue to provide the highest standards of care and wellbeing.
Investments in Research
Little scientific research exists on Pacific white-sided dolphins due to challenges with studying them in the wild and being less common in aquariums than other species of dolphins. The Pacific white-sided dolphins at Shedd have provided a window into the biology and behavior of this ocean species since their arrival at the aquarium in the 1990s.
Through knowledge sharing and published studies, Shedd has facilitated a better understanding of their hearing, acoustics, social behavior, reproductive physiology and immune system. For example, a study by Shedd’s Microbiome Project found that dolphin’s blowholes in aquariums and in the wild have a unique microbial signature, including many species previously unknown to science.
A study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences has found that marine mammals are living longer in zoological institutions than ever before, up to three times longer than in the wild, the result of advances in animal care practices centered on animal welfare.
Conservation and Advocacy
Pacific white-sided dolphins are not endangered or threatened, but they are federally protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. A warming ocean, entrapment in fishing nets, pollution, habitat degradation and other human-caused issues are the biggest challenges facing all dolphin species.
You can raise your voice in support of positive efforts that can benefit dolphin populations and a plethora of other aquatic animals, like establishing marine protected areas (MPAs), reducing plastic use and decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Connections with the dolphins through visits or programming like Animal Spotlights inspire millions of guests to care more for aquatic animals and our shared blue planet.
Meet the Dolphins
There are four Pacific white-sided dolphins at Shedd — Kri, Katrl, Munchkin and Makoa. They are all ambassadors for their species, helping millions of guests every year form a deeper connection to the aquatic world. Meet the dolphin pod and discover the characteristics that make each individual unique. Plus, delve into how we continue to learn from, and share knowledge and insights about, this special species.
Makoa
Kri
Katrl
Munchkin