Our Wild Dolphin Research Project is in the process of determining the population levels of dolphins off the coasts of Lana'i and Maui. There are seasonal changes in the abundance of dolphins, with a winter reduction in observations along the west coast of the Big Island. There is little data available about the possible interchange between spinner dolphin populations, making it impossible to determine statewide population statistics. The Hawaiian spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris , is among the most acrobatic of the smaller cetaceans. They are a fairly small, slender dolphin, around 2 meters in length, with a dark dorsal cape, a lighter gray middle band, and a whitish belly or underside that often shows a pink coloration when the animal is highly active or excited.
Spinner dolphins are nocturnal animals that are only found in the wild.
They feed on a wide variety of small fish and squid. Spinner dolphins show a significant increase in activity toward dusk as they group together to leave their protected rest coves and head for the open sea in search of food. Back to Top Reproduction of Spinner Dolphins Spinner dolphins give birth to a single calf of less than one meter in length. Females can give birth every two to three years after a l0 or 11 month gestation period. Lactation periods have been estimated to last as long as l8 months.