24.09.2021 – Interactions

Our snorkelling trips have become very popular with many guests; after all who doesn’t want to meet dolphins out in the wild! Interactions with wildlife must be conducted responsibly by our team, particularly when the activity is as up close and personal as it is with the snorkelling. This is why we use a snorkelling rope during the activity; it keeps our guests in one place and gives the dolphins a chance to initiate the interaction… and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) rarely shy away from snorkelers in the water.

Dolphins are generally notorious for engaging in interactions with other species for a number of reasons and this is particularly true when it comes to Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). As our crew searched for spotted dolphins for our snorkelers, our spotter discovered a group of Bottlenose dolphins that were stealing catch from the black scabbard fishing lines. This is not the first time we’ve experienced this opportunistic species doing this and, while it may provide the animals with an easy meal, things can also go wrong. Dolphins are known to injure themselves on fishing gear and in some countries fishermen even hurt or kill dolphins that steal the catch they’ve worked so hard for. This is another reason why human interactions with dolphins must be conducted carefully; overexposure to boats may eventually lead to less cautious behaviour around them. After the Bottlenose dolphins we had a brief encounter with Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) but could not find any spotted dolphins. Our guests were delighted nonetheless and thanked us for the lovely morning

In the afternoon our crew found yet another group of Bottlenose dolphins, this time a nursery group containing a calf with a gaping lesion along its dorsal fin that we’ve seen several times this week. Nursery groups don’t only provide safety for the small, vulnerable calves, they also give them the chance to practice their social skills with conspecifics. After the lovely encounter our Stenella searched the waters in the West for other animals but, after a bumpy ride through the wind, we decided to finish off with a drive along the picturesque coastline back to Calheta.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins

15:00 Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Blainville’s beaked whales

15:00 Bottlenose dolphins