14.07.2018 – Dolphin Love

We had to go out almost six miles today until the first fins came into sight. We´ve seen rather small and slim fins, the fins of Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). But we got to see way more of the animals than just the fins.

Some of the dorsal fins exhibited triangular shaped yellow spots. Such a coloration is unique to those agile and inquisitive animals. Generally, their coloration is very variable: in addition to the occasionally bright back fins, some animals also have yellow flippers, the lines from the front of the forehead to the eyes and pectoral fins differ quite significantly and occasionally we also see common dolphins with grey instead of the usual yellow lateral sides. What they all have in common is the impressive beauty of their appearance.

Today, we have seen the animals also from another side. Here and there a bright belly glinted under the surface. This is not a safe precondition but always a sign for some dolphin love going on just under the bow of Ribeira Brava. The dolphins behavior of very close approaches, some chasing and lots of body contact confirmed that assumption… We have been in their offshore bedroom.

We observe mating behavior among the Common dolphins and also among other members of the dolphin family every once in a while, but it´s not always as apparent as it has been today. Dolphins carry out a long foreplay with intense body and fin contact, whereas the actual act only lasts ten seconds or even less. But it can be repeated multiple times during a short time span. This is exactly what we were able to observe today. There were two particular active animals but some others joined as well. This is quite common among those playful ocean dwellers who are also known to be playful in their love lives and enjoy their secret affairs.

It was a pleasure to have this pod around the boat and we look forward to see some tiny dolphin babies next year.

by Jan-Christopher Fischer

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphin

15:00 Short-beaked common dolphin, Loggerhead turtle

Stenella

15:30 Short-beaked common dolphin