24.05.2023 – Bottlenose dolphin day
May 31, 2023
26.05.2023 – Greeting from a giant
June 3, 2023
Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are by far the species of cetaceans we know the most about. This is largely due to their intelligence and adaptive nature, which has allowed their populations to flourish in the coastal and offshore waters in nearly all the world’s oceans. Their ability to dive deep also makes them very flexible in regards to their prey, and they continuously keep behavioural scientists fascinated with all their different hunting techniques. Their adaptive nature and undeniable charisma has also made them a favourite for dolphinariums seeking captive dolphins for their enclosures, a terrible fate for these highly intelligent marine dwellers. All these facts have allowed us to learn a lot about the species, which often prompts people to extrapolate the knowledge we have on the Bottlenose on all other species.
Of course Bottlenose Dolphins cannot represent all their other dolphins relatives but learning more about their biology and behaviour helped us understand other dolphins a lot more. A closely related species of the Bottlenose, the Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis), shares many traits with its larger delphinid cousin. We saw dispersed groups of both species scattered all around the Southwestern waters today and their charisma left our guests overjoyed at the sightings! For us guides, these species are always a thrill because of the abundant information we are blessed to share about them!
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:30 Bottlenose Dolphins
13:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins
Stenella
09:30 Bottlenose Dolphins
13:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins
