Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 12 February
Written by February 12 2023
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 12 February 2023:
As usual, we were first heading along the coast and first made a stop at the shark cage diving boats to see the Bronze whaler sharks. Not long after leaving the sharks behind we spotted a couple of common dolphins that were hunting for some fish but also came closer to investigate the boat. As we were moving away from the common dolphins we spotted two Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, how lucky to see two different species of dolphins in one tour! At the islands, we saw some penguins and watched the Cape fur seals in Shark Alley. Unfortunately, the deeper waters were quiet today and we returned back to Kleinbaai.
Tripadvisor – https://bit.ly/2YZ0jDR
Google – https://g.page/r/Caej8uYZYnR8EBE/review
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WhaleWatchSA
What species did we see today?
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.
Common Dolphin Common Dolphin
With an 'hourgalss' patch on either side and aerial activity the common dolphin is an agile and majestic species, that may easily reach a speed of 40km/h.
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.
