Dolphins in Antarctica? They Don't Live There

Dolphins do not inhabit Antarctic waters. The Southern Ocean's freezing temperatures (–2 °C to 2 °C / 28–35 °F) are far below the thermal tolerance of any dolphin species.

What Does Live There

• Cetaceans: Baleen whales (blue, fin, humpback, minke), orcas (killer whales—actually the largest dolphin, but cold-adapted).
• Pinnipeds: Weddell, crabeater, leopard, Ross seals.
• Birds: Emperor/Adélie penguins, petrels, skuas.

Dolphin Range

Dolphins prefer temperate/tropical waters (generally >10 °C). The southernmost regular dolphin populations are around New Zealand, Tasmania, and southern South America—not the Antarctic continent.