Southern right whale dolphin
Lissodelphis peronii
A slender, finless dolphin of cool open ocean. Meetings are brief, and no sighting is ever promised.
Least Concern (IUCN, 2018) means it is not close to threatened at present. It was moved up from Data Deficient, but there is still no estimate of its numbers.
Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.
Length
Adults about 2.2 to 2.5 m (7.2 to 8.2 ft); the largest recorded males are about 2.97 m (9.7 ft) and females about 2.3 m (7.5 ft)
Weight
About 60 to 100 kg (130 to 220 lb); up to about 116 kg (256 lb) recorded
Next to a person
A little longer than a tall adult, and about as heavy as one or two adults
What it eats
Mostly mesopelagic fish, especially lanternfish, and squid. They can dive deeper than 200 m. Little is known about exactly how or where they hunt.
Around people
Lively, keep distance
How it lives
This is a very social dolphin. Groups are often 100 to 200, with an average of about 210 reported, and herds of more than 1,000 have been described. They often swim in long, low leaps and may belly-flop or slap the water. They sometimes travel with dusky dolphins and pilot whales. Calves are brown or grey and take on adult black and white within about a year. How long they live in the wild is not known.
Where it goes
It lives in cool temperate to sub-Antarctic waters all around the Southern Hemisphere, from about 30 to 65 degrees south, and is bounded to the south by the Antarctic Convergence. The northernmost record is about 12 degrees south, off Peru. It lives mainly offshore in deep water, and comes near the coast only where deep water is close.
We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.
Populations
There is no estimate of global numbers or trend. It is described as fairly common but poorly known. IUCN: Least Concern, moved from Data Deficient in November 2018. Known threats are hunting in Peru and Chile, bycatch in the Chilean swordfish driftnet fishery, and bycatch in gillnets and longlines off southern Australia.
Meet it respectfully
Sightings are usually brief, as the herd moves fast over deep water. Keep boats slow and steady, and let the dolphins choose whether to come near. Never chase, drive towards, touch, feed or bait them. Follow local rules and your guide.
Fun fact
Tap the bulb to light it up.
It has no dorsal fin, which makes it hard to confuse with other dolphins.
A sharp line divides its black back from its white belly.
Herds of more than 1,000 have been reported.
Southern right whale dolphin in the Ocean Atlas
Places we have researched where this animal is recorded. It is never guaranteed, and some places are for watching from the boat only.
Travel with usComing soonTrusted referralExploringOn pause, story onlyEthics pass
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ChileSources for this page
- Wikipedia, Southern right whale dolphin, 2026
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan, 2026
- OBIS-SEAMAP, Duke University, 2026
- IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group, 2018
- Mammal Diversity Database, 2026
- GBIF, IUCN Red List category, 2026
Facts checked 5 October 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.
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