1. Coastal Waters: Many dolphin species reside in near-shore habitats such as bays, estuaries, and coastal shelf regions. These areas offer abundant prey, shallow waters for breeding, and protection from large predators.
2. Open Oceans: Several oceanic dolphin species traverse the vast expanses of the open ocean. They navigate routes across the ocean basins following prey migrations and utilizing underwater canyons, seamounts, and other bathymetric features for shelter.
3. Tropical and Temperate Waters: Dolphins are found in both tropical and temperate waters. Different species have adapted to varying temperatures, with some thriving in warm tropical regions while others inhabit cooler temperate zones.
4. Coral Reefs: Certain dolphin species, such as Spinner Dolphins, frequent coral reef areas, where they take advantage of the diverse prey and the complex microhabitats provided by coral structures.
5. River Dolphins: A few dolphin species, known as river dolphins, have adapted to freshwater habitats. They inhabit large rivers and river systems in South America and Asia, adapting to the freshwater conditions while still belonging to the oceanic dolphin family.
Dolphins are highly adaptable marine mammals, and their habitat preferences may vary depending on the specific species and their life stage. Some dolphin species may seasonally migrate between different habitats to access food sources and suitable breeding grounds.