Double Dolphin Sighting and 4 of the Marine Big 5, January 6th 2020
Written by Dickie Chivell, January 6 2020
Double Dolphin Sighting and 4 of the Marine Big 5, January 6th 2020
We started the day off with a great trip seeing dolphins, sharks, penguins and seals – four of the Marine Big 5.
We are really excited for what’s to come this week, as the water is quite warm at the moment, fluctuating between 18 – 20 degrees Celcius, which always brings some changes in the ecosystem (And also makes for happy shark cage divers we visited on our trip today).
The seal puppies are learning how to swim, attracting new predators to the area. We also got to see lots of jelly fish coming in with the warm current. We often see the largest bone fish in the world, the ocean sunfish, in these sea conditions, so fingers crossed we get to see one in the next days.
All in all, a great trip out at sea, experiencing the diversity of marine life the Dyer Island eco system has to offer!
Thanks for joining us.
The first time we came across our African Penguins….
Bottlenose Dolphins!
Our Cape Fur seals on Geyser Rock
Giant Petrel about to take off!
The smallest of our Marine Big 5, the African Penguin relaxing on Dyer Island
The second Dolphin species we came across on our trip – Humpback dolphins
Our beautiful Bronze Whalers
What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
