26.06.2021 – Three out of four, plus one!

There was a successful score on our morning tour … three out of four, plus one!

On our sighting passport, we have a small section of our “special guests”. In addition to our marine mammals, these are other wonderful creatures that live here in the sea. Today we had three of four types from our special guest list. We saw a few Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), a Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalia) and various Cory’s Shearwaters (Calonectris borealis).

And here are a few special features of our special guests …

The special fact of the Loggerhead sea turtle is that it deposited its eggs where it hatched itself. That is why it is so important to preserve the breeding grounds.

The Portuguese man o’ war stands out due to the special aspect that it is not a jellyfish, but a colony of three different polyps. Each of these symbiotic life forms has its own task (reproduction, defense and feeding, movement) to fulfill in order to secure the existence.

A romantic and special fact among the Cory’s Shearwaters? The couples who stay together for a lifetime emit a hilarious, jamming orientation call at dusk when they return to their only egg per season.

And what or who was plus one? An interactive group of the Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) enjoying the ride in the bow wave and the joy of the guests.

In the afternoon, the group of the Atlantic spotted dolphins was spread over a larger area. In such situations, the animals change direction more often, as is the case today. And as is typical for the Spotted dolphins, they surfed our beautiful fishing boats in the bow wave.

Now, of course, the special fact is still missing, with the Atlantic spotted dolphins. Although they are called Spotted dolphins from birth, they do not get them until they reach sexual maturity.

Of course, all of these marine creatures have other peculiarities as well. Just like us. And which one is yours? 😉

by Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Loggerhead sea turtles, a Portuguese man o’ war, Cory’s Shearwaters

15:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Cory’s Shearwaters