16.07.2017 – Why these teeth?

Today was the very model of a perfect day, well and truly amazing! Who doesn’t like to sleep in? BUT then you might have missed the following scenario: a smooth sea, Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Blainville’s Beaked whales, Tropical whales, Cory’s Shearwaters and not to forget an insight in the beginning of their food chain (Jelly fish: tiny thaliaceans and an even smaller mini fish). Our morning guests were lucky to be surprised with all of this.  We had marine mammals with and without teeth. Blainville’s are toothed whales, which not only have teeth in their beak but also one on each side of their lower jaw (on the outside) but only the males.

For what do they have these teeth? Some might think that is to impress the females, but certainly is to show the same sex fellows and if necessary to hold one’s ground if they fight with another male … ok, at the end to win the heart of the female.

At the evening trips both boats observed a huge dinner spectacle. Sea gulls screamed loudly, Cory Shearwater’s protested vehemently as soon as another one wanted to take their fish and in between this jumble Atlantic Spotted dolphins filled their stomachs.

by Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day:

Ribeira Brava

17.00: Atlantic Spotted dolphins

Stenella

09.00: Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Blainville’s Beaked whales, Tropical whales

15.30: Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Blainville’s Beaked whales

18.00: Atlantic Spotted dolphins