Spinner dolphins are the acrobats of the ocean. In one astonishing leap out of the air, they can jump nearly 10ft (3m) and spin up to around seven times. Spinners grow 4 to 7.7 ft (1.2 to 2.35 m) long and weigh approximately 130 to 180 lb (59 to 82 kg). There are four recognized subspecies of spinner dolphin that vary in appearance and social structure. However, all spinners have long, skinny beaks and slender bodies with small curved flippers, and tall triangular dorsal fins. They prefer tropic

A spinner dolphin leaps into the air off the coast of Costa Rica. Why do spinner dolphins jump and spin? Display, communication and parasite removal are among the leading theories. Whatever the reason, it looks like great fun to me. This particular type of spinner dolphin found in the tropical eastern pacific has been recorded spinner 6 or even 7 times in a single jump! I used a gyrostabilsed camera system to capture this behaviour on a moving ocean. Filmed for my new show coming later this year