04.10.2018 – Let yourself be surprised …

On our tours we often deal with different species that can behave very differently towards us. Today, there were two marine mammal species, which usually show a shy behaviour towards the boats. But is this always the case?

During the first encounter with the beautiful Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), the animals, as we know it were reserved. Striped dolphins are widely distributed in our oceans. They are found in places such as Japan, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Mozambique, South Africa, Nova Scotia, South America, Jamaica, Ascension. Senegal, Mediterranean Sea, Spain, Portugal, South of France, Netherlands, England and MADEIRA.

However, we were surprised by the Blainville Beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris), which to our surprise, appeared close to the boat so we could look at them in peace. On our photos you can see very well, the classic way of emergence of these whales. When these animals emerge from the water, they direct their bills skywards. Blainville’s Beaked whales live in polygyny with a harem formation.

As you can see, we can always be surprised by the sea. Shy animals are sometimes curious and interactive animals may show some restraint. That’s why it’s so important to judge exactly and correctly how to get in touch with them in every situation, on every trip.

The third sighting of the tour involved two groups of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The animals moved unhurried in the direction of the east. In between the adults we discovered several cute calves. The British zoologist Georg Montagu named the Bottlenose dolphins in 1814 from a skull find as Delphinus truncatus – the dolphin with the many evenly conical truncated teeth. Bottlenose dolphins can have up to 80 teeth.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Striped dolphins, Blainville’s Beaked whales, Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

10:00 Striped dolphins, Blainville’s Beaked whales, Bottlenose dolphins