This has led to several locations around the coast becoming well known for 'dolphin watching'. Pilot whales, killer whales and Risso's dolphins are also present in the Moray Firth, but only killer whales are likely to be spotted from the shore, with sightings reported from the coastline around Aberdeen and Banff. Bottlenose Dolphin Bottlenose dolphins are widely distributed in warm and temperate waters throughout the world, although they are relatively uncommon around the UK coast. The Moray Firth dolphins are extremely important as they represent one of only two or three resident populations known to exist in UK waters and probably the only one in the North Sea. There are thought to be over 100 bottlenose dolphins living in the Moray Firth.
Adults have a clearly defined beak and a tail, sickle-shaped dorsal fin which curves backwards.
They typically live for 25 years, although animals as old as 50 years have been recorded. Females reach sexual maturity between the ages of five and 12 and may give birth to a single calf every two to three years - lookout for newborn calves any time between March and September. The calf may be helped to the surface by its mother for its first breath of air. If the mother is weak, other female dolphins in the herd often look after her. Bottlenose dolphins are sociable animals and usually live in groups of two to four individuals, although sightings of larger groups are not uncommon.