Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 30 November
Written by November 30 2023
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 30 November 2023:
We had a perfect day with great weather conditions and amazing wildlife sightings. The day started with some humpback dolphins close to the coast, in the same area we were also lucky to see southern right whales. What a great surprise! As we were about to leave the whales we spotted a hammerhead shark, a rare visitor to our area. On the second tour, they were just as lucky, dolphins along the coast, whales close by, and more hammerhead sharks. Both trips also passed the shark cage diving vessel on their way to Dyer Island and saw Bronze whaler sharks and even a short-tailed stingray. Shark Alley was filled with Cape fur seals that were swimming on this sunny day and we also managed to spot some penguins, although it was a little tricky with all the breeding Cape Cormorants on Dyer Island.
Trip 1
Trip 2
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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.
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.
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.
Cape Cormorant Cape Cormorant
One of the most famous species of Cormorant in the Western Cape, the Cape Cormorant is well known for it's beautiful turquoise eye and impressive size.
