A Marine Big 5 kind of day! Marine Big 5 Daily Blog
Written by November 15 2020
Our Marine Big 5 adventure started just outside Kleinbaai harbour with two African penguins drifting in the water and just as we reached Uilenkraalmond we spotted a single Humpback dolphin making one close pass before quickly moving off in the distance. On our way to Pearly Beach where we saw some Southern Right whales again, we stopped at one of the shark cage diving companies and patiently waited for the Bronze Whaler shark to come up. The two whales, a cow-calf pair, were very relaxed around our vessel and swam all the way around us before heading slowly into deeper waters. This was also our clue to continue with the journey to Geyser Rock and see plenty of the Cape Fur seals and lot of bird species. What a fantastic Sunday it has been, seeing all Marine Big 5 in one trip.
What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
Southern Right Whale Southern Right Whale
Southern right whales attract thousands of visitors every year to experience these gentle giants off the South African coast.
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.
Bank Cormorant Bank Cormorant
Often enjoying a broad diet including klipfish, rock lobster and more, the increasing rarety of the Bank Cormorant makes every moment we see them even more special.
