Bottlenose Dolphins frequent coastal waters around the mainland and Tasmania. They can be seen riding the bow waves of boats or swimming in the shallows near beaches. These dolphins are large, streamlined, marine mammals. They have beaky snouts, rounded foreheads and backward pointing dorsal fins.

Usually Bottlenose Dolphins seim in small groups. They eat fish, squid and other marine animals. They locate prey and other objects by sending out sounds and reading the echoes. A dophin may dive for up to 4 minutes. When it surfaces it shoes its forehead but not its beak.

Dolphins are highly social and intelligent mammals which seem to enjoy the company of humans. There are many stories of dolphins helping distressed human swimmers. At various beaches around Australia, Bottlenosed Dolphins regularly come to shore to interact with humans. At some places they are fed, at others they make contact without food reward.