Some Exciting Sightings, 29 December 2019
Written by December 31 2019
Our Marine wildlife was out and about today, enjoying the change in weather. We had some great sightings of the Bronze Whaler Shark around the cage diving vessels. Our Cape Fur Seals on Geyser Rock were as entertaining as ever and we’re seeing less males on the island after mating season but of course the pups that are brave enough are starting to take their first swims in Shark Alley. The African Penguin on Dyer Island were quite quickly spotted with a few groups enjoying the sunshine. Two of our trips of the day were lucky enough to have spotted some dolphins, one of them were able to see the graceful Indian Ocean Humpbacked Dolphin while the other got to witness the playful Bottlenose Dolphins. What a day! With sightings of 4 of the marine big 5 on some trips including some special appearances from our dolphin species.
The Bronze Whaler Shark
The Bronze Whaler dorsal fin
A flock of Cape Cormorants
Some beautiful views of the Bottlenose Dolphins
The Bottlenose Dolphins with the Cape Cormorant flock in the back
A look at the Humpbacked Dolphin
A cute little seal leaning against a piece of metal
This looks comfy
Using the algae as a slide
Napping buddies
Moooooooom
A dip in the water
Our African Penguin among the Cormorants
Some Penguins and White Breasted Cormorants
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.
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.
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.
