Least Concern· population trend unknown· assessed 2018

Pacific Spotted Dolphin

Stenella attenuata

Sighting evidence at Chachacual Bay, Huatulco

Photo: brandonbest · CC BY-NC

Pods of 10 to 40 Pacific spotted dolphins regularly enter the bay, often bow-riding the dive boat and occasionally descending to reef depth to investigate divers. Encounters are most frequent November through April when cooler upwelling draws prey fish close to shore. Their acrobatic surface behaviour and curiosity toward divers make Chachacual one of the most reliable dolphin-encounter dives on Mexico's Pacific coast.

Evidence at this site

42 records within 25 km

Confidence: high

Last confirmed May 2026

Seasonality

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How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.