Bottlenose Dolphin Colouring

Meet the bottlenose dolphin, a clever ocean mammal named for its short, bottle-shaped snout. Bottlenose dolphins live in warm and temperate seas around the world, from sheltered bays and estuaries to the open ocean. Coastal dolphins often explore shallower water, while offshore groups may travel across deep blue seas. Adults are usually about 2 to 4 metres long, although size varies between populations, and they commonly weigh from roughly 140 to 635 kilograms. In the wild they may live 40 to 60 years, with some females reaching the older end of that range. Like every mammal, a dolphin breathes air, gives birth to live young and feeds its calf milk. It must visit the surface regularly to breathe through the blowhole on top of its head. Bottlenose dolphins are especially famous for echolocation. They send out clicks and listen for returning echoes, helping them find fish and understand the shape and distance of objects even in murky water. They are social animals that communicate with whistles, body movements and playful leaps. In this picture, the dolphin has sprung above gentle waves while a tiny sailboat rests far away. Start colouring the smooth dolphin with light or medium grey, then make the belly pale grey, cream or white. A soft blue-grey back and lighter sides can make the animal look rounded without needing heavy shading. Colour the sea with several blues, or invent turquoise, teal and indigo wave bands. The splash can stay white with light blue edges. Give the distant sailboat a bright sail, such as red, yellow or orange, and use a warm yellow sun with pale blue clouds. Keep the eye dark and add one tiny white sparkle if you like. Try colouring in broad, gentle strokes inside the large body spaces. Short curved strokes work well on the waves, while smooth strokes from nose to tail suit the dolphin. You can also add a pale sky, a few distant seabirds or tiny silver fish, but leave enough white space so the leaping dolphin remains the star of this cheerful ocean scene.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.