Cetacean
Common dolphin
Delphinus delphis
IUCN status: Least concernWidely sought
The Sardine Run's headline hunter — short-beaked, with an hourglass flank pattern, travelling in super-pods that herd sardines into bait balls with coordinated bubble-netting.
- Max size
- Up to ~2.5m
- Habitat
- Open coastal water
Best places to dive with Common dolphin
rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
KwaZulu-Natal Shark Coast
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | peak season |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | occasional |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Super-pods drive the Sardine Run bait balls, roughly May–July.
Azores
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Frequently encountered on the boat, not usually on scuba. Swimming with dolphins is legal but tightly regulated — snorkel only, never scuba, no more than two swimmers at a time near the vessel.
Sources & last checked
Checked July 2026
This is a researched draft, not yet human-verified. The seasonality and logistics are drawn from the sources below — confirm specifics (permits, fees, closures) with an operator before you book.
- Sardine Run — Ocean Africa