The Common Dolphin is also called the Short-beaked Dolphin even though it has a medium to long beak. It is an open sea dolphin that is found in our northern, western and southern offshore waters. Common Dolphins are social creatures that are very rarely seen alone. They travel together in groups called 'schools' which may consist of ten dolphins or even hundreds of dolphins.

The Common Dolphin is a small dolphin with a length of around two and half metres. The upper part of the body is either black or dark brown and the under part is white or cream coloured. The Common Dolphin is also known as the ‘crisscross dolphin’ because it has a crisscross pattern running along its sides. It also has a fin on its back that curves backwards. This fin is called a ‘dorsal' fin.

Common Dolphins are very playful creatures that like to do flips and somersaults in the water. They can also be seen leaping with their whole bodies out of the water. Common Dolphins love riding on waves created by ships and they may even stay with a ship jumping and playing for several hours.