2 Species Of Dolphin And 4 Of The Marine Big 5, 11 May 2019
We had an abundance of wildlife out at sea today...
Written by Jax Bath, May 11 2019
Guide Summary.
It was another perfect day to be on the ocean with some beautiful sightings of our favourite species. Its not everyday that we get to see two different species of Dolphin on our tours, but this is how we started our trip today. About half way to the shark cage diving boats, we found a lone dolphin doing some surfing. This was a Bottlenose Dolphin, which might seem a bit strange, as they are famous for their social way of life. This is, however, not the first time we’ve had a lonesome Bottlenose in our bay, with us occasionally having these lone rangers passing through.
The Humpback Dolphin is better known for their solitary ways, and this was our second animal for the day. Dolphin number 20 paid us a visit today, and we got a few nice views of this distinctive looking dolphin before making our way into Jouberts dam, where the shark cage diving boats lay anchored. With some patience, we were rewarded with the sight of some active Bronze Whaler Sharks at one of the cage diving vessels, with us enjoying some views of these Coppery Creatures.
On this tour, we also got to watch as an African penguin gave itself a bath, lifting his flippers and making sure that his feathers were squeaky clean. We spent some time watching this before spotting some more penguins on the bird paradise of Dyer Island.
Next, a Visit to our pinnipeds was in order, so we cruised into Shark Alley to go and watch some seals. These animals are both highly intelligent and clumsy at the same time, which always makes for a fascinating sight as they try to navigate their daily lives. After enjoying the company of our seals, we made a loop around the island into deeper waters, to see if there was any more life to be found. We caught up with some diving birds before deciding it best to make our way into Kleinbaai Harbour.
Daily Snaps.
We had lots of birds around today.
A lone Bottlenose Dolphin travelling along in The Shallows.
This is dolphin number 26. We haven’t seen this dolphin in some time.
We have around 30 Humpback Dolphins, some we know by name and others by number.
We were lucky to see a few Copper Sharks today.
A beautiful fin in front of the shark cage diving boats.
Patience definitely paid off for this sighting.
A little African Penguin giving itself a clean.
This African Penguin was super relaxed.
3 Penguins on the Skyline.
Seals having fun in the water.
A Sunfish we found behind the island.
A penguin doing some yoga.
Wiping off the salty seawater.
What species did we see today?
Bronze Whaler Shark Bronze Whaler Shark
The Bronze whaler (also known as Copper sharks) here in Kleinbaai are very curious and interactive. These sharks eat mostly fish, with sardines being one of their favourites.
African Penguin African Penguin
As one of only 17 penguin species left in the world (and the only one on the african continent), the african penguin often breed in offshore colonies, such as Dyer Island.
Cape fur seal Cape fur seal
With a local population of 60,000, it's no wonder our guests capture so many photographs of these wonderfully playful marine mammals.
Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin
Humpback dolphins are an endangered species, with small populations living very close to shore, typically in water less than 25m deep and an average home range of 120km. Their proximity to land makes these animals particularly vulnerable to human influence.
Bottlenose Dolphin Bottlenose Dolphin
At present there are two recognized species of bottlenose dolphin, and in some cases, both species can be found in the same area. The two species are the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (T. aduncus). In addition, there is a great deal of variation in colouration, diet and behaviour. The difference between the common bottlenose and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin are subtle, but the common bottlenose dolphin generally larger and more robust with a slight darker colouration.
