Carlos Drumond
July 23, 2019(Extra)ordinary
July 24, 2019
Dolphins dominated the sightings during our tours today which included encounters with Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). Having sightings with different species of dolphins is a stark reminder of how differently dolphins react to our boats; the Striped for instance tend to be more timid while the spotted dolphins dart through the air as they come to meet us at sea. This difference in behavior also underlines the fact that these animals occupy different ecological niches in their vast home, the Atlantic ocean, which, along with their different personalities and social behavior, determines whether they are willing too approach and interact or not.
Giving dolphins the time and chance to decide whether they wish to interact with us is of utmost importance to our company. Anything else may challenge the animals well-being and our philosophy which is why we actively support people who boycott keeping dolphins in captivity. One of Lobosonda’s absolute heroes is Ric O’Barry, the founder of the Dolphin Project. Before becoming one of the worlds most renowned animal rights activists, O’Barry actually worked with captive dolphins and was even head trainer of the five Bottlenose dolphins that played “Flipper”. While the TV series strengthened our fascination for dolphins, it additionally created a false sense of empathy that lead to an unprecedented increase in the capture of wild dolphins for dolphinariums. The series also induced a change in O’Barry who became aware of the severe effects of captivity on these highly intelligent and emotionally sophisticated animals after one of the “Flipper” dolphins, Kathy, did not resurface for air.
Since then, O’Barry has fought against global dolphin plight, becoming one of the worlds most important and renowned cetacean activists. When dolphins are in need, he’s the guy people call. His most famous quest is ending the brutal dolphin hunts in Taiji, Japan, a hidden practice which was revealed to the world through his popular documentary “The Cove”. We are grateful to have people like O’Barry and, while we weren’t able to participate in Dolphin Project’s Global Beach Cleanup today, an encounter with a Bottlenose dolphin with plastic caught on its fluke served as a live example of our detrimental effect on the oceans and we didn’t miss the chance of making our guests aware of this severe problem. Moreover, a percentage of the fee from paid by participants of our snorkeling trips is donated to Dolphin Project.
When asked why he dedicated his life to saving dolphins, often even risking his life doing so, O’Barry answered “If dolphins are our reference point in nature, then when we teach people that its ok to abuse dolphins we are also teaching them that it is ok to abuse the rest of nature”. No one can argue with that; the way we treat other living beings says a lot about who we are.
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
10:00 Bottlenose dolphins
15:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Striped dolphins
Stenella
12:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins
