24.08.2019 – Me or you on me????

Sometimes out there in our blue office it gets really tricky! How is that with our observations? Lobosonda officially offers observations of marine mammals (cetaceans) to its guests. But did you know that Lobosonda apparently also offers observations of humans (Homo sapiens)? Yes, this seemed to have been the case on our magical morning tour today! It appears the question, do I look at you or do you look at me? Whatever it was … both are absolutely possible … it was beautiful, very peaceful, joyful and unique !! The Atlantic Spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) were in their element and that means: It was like a dream! Even the group of Blainville Beaked Whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) decided to make a sudden change of direction and approached us directly. An animal turned elegantly to the side and looked up to us … another case of human observation 🙂 … we really liked that. 🙂

By the way, the eye of a dolphin works like a blind! When it is light, the eye closes half way but when its darker the animal opens full it´s eye. To protect against the salt water, the eye is protected by a secretion. The eye lens is very soft, which allows a quick change of the different visibility conditions under and over water. You see, the pre-requisites for an interesting, close, touching human observation is certainly given by our water friends. And then the dolphin has as well a very special cell layer, the so-called tapetum lucidum! What has such a wondrous name must also be something miraculous, is not it? This tapetum lucidum ensures that the dolphin’s eye glows in the night. A visit to the Blue Office at night would be very interesting. Incidentally, the dolphin is not the only animal that has such a special feature! Who is as well equipped with a tapetum? Cats, seals, whales, dolphins, fruit bats/flying foxes, rodents, reptiles and many birds. We humans have to deal it without, because we are diurnal active!

In the afternoon the dolphins we were searching and actually found (fortunately) were the same animals  that on the way back, have searched and found us. Great teamwork, I would say. In both cases we saw Atlantic Spotted dolphins.

by Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

15:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins

Stenella

09:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Blainville‘s Beaked whales, Loggerhead turtle

15:30 Atlantic Spotted dolphins