20.08.2018 – Precious moment

Today we had to deal with the shy ones … Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), which were not very interactive with the boats and Blainville Beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris), which require patience (thank you dear guests) but it was worth it to wait. The sea was so peaceful, reverent silence reigned on the boat, and glances swept across the smooth sea. Then suddenly the appearance of the animals, only at some distance, but then we had a close encounter. What a moment, the loud breathing of the animals, the steady movement and the peculiarity of the situation. A truly precious moment … that was recorded with all the senses and the hearts of our guests.

The noise pollution in our oceans is increasing. Marine mammals who have to understand their world acoustically are extremely affected. In March 2000, 16 whales stranded in the Bahamas (9 Cuvier’s Beaked whales, 3 Blainville’s Beaked whales, 2 Minke whales, 2 unidentified whales) and a Spotted dolphin. “Normally” only one specie of marine mammal is affected in a mass stranding. In this case, however, several species were involved simultaneously. On the basis of investigations on the deceased animals one wanted to obtain certainty about the cause of death. Computed tomography showed severe bruising in the inner ear and adjacent brain areas. Due to the military maneuvers carried out before the mass stranding with sonar use (235 decibels), the animals suffered a noise trauma.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

 Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

17:00 Blainville Beaked whales, Striped dolphins

 Stenella

09:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins

12:00 Striped dolphins

15:30 no sighting

18:00 Blainville Beaked whales, Striped dolphins