23.08.2024 – Wow!! High five

WOW! Five species on one trip! So it went in quick succession today. We started with Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), then Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), followed by Short-finned Pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and a Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and then Rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis).

So today we had three species whose social structure is a hierarchy and two species that live in a matriarchy.

Marine mammals have an impressive variety of social structures that depend on the species, its habitat and its ecological requirements. These structures are crucial for the survival and reproduction of the animals and vary greatly between species.

Some whale species, such as Orcas, Sperm whales and Pilot whales, have complex matriarchal societies. These groups often consist of several generations and are led by a dominant female who leads the group in hunting, protecting the young and navigating the ocean. These groups, also known as pods, are very stable and members often stay together for life.

Dolphins often favour a hierarchy in which the bonds are not always so close. Bottlenose dolphins live in so-called fusion-fission societies. This structure is very flexible, with the group composition changing regularly. Individuals come together, separate and form new groups depending on food availability, social bonds or reproductive opportunities. This enables the dolphins to adapt to different environmental conditions and dynamically organise their social networks.

In contrast to social species, there are also marine mammals that lead a largely solitary life. One example of this is the Sperm whale. While females and juveniles stay together in groups, males often travel the oceans alone once they reach sexual maturity. They only occasionally meet other males, except during the mating season. But baleen whales are also mostly solitary.

Some dolphin species, especially Bottlenose dolphins, form complex social alliances and co-operate in hunting. These alliances can consist of several males competing for females or even hunting together. These cooperative behaviours allow them to capture larger and faster prey and defend themselves against predators.

To summarise, it can be said that the social structures of marine mammals are as diverse as the animals themselves. These structures are the result of millions of years of evolution and reflect the animals’ adaptations to their specific habitats and ecological niches. They play a central role in the lives of marine mammals and influence their reproduction, foraging and survival strategies.

On the midday tour we saw Rough-toothed dolphins, Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and Bottlenose dolphins. The school of Bottlenose dolphins included a calf that practised jumping. And our young guests had lots of questions about sharks 😉

On the evening tour, we encountered the same group of Bottlenose dolphins as on the previous tour. Then we went to see the Rough-toothed dolphins, which travelled through the sea in small subgroups. While some were in resting mode, three animals preferred to enjoy physical pleasure. They were very cuddly with each other.

If you would like to campaign for the protection of Pilot whales and Bottlenose dolphins, you can find the link to our petitions here.

https://www.lobosonda.com/marine-protection/

by Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Sperm whales, Pilot whales

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Sperm whales, Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins

14:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins, Striped dolphins

17:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins, Sailer-by-the sea