13.08.2023 – Spotted stars

Visibility was hazy today too, but luck was on our side and we had our active, lively Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). Cory’s shearwaters circled in the air, screeching loudly and repeatedly diving into the sea to snatch fish morsels.

While baleen whales do not have a sonar system, toothed whales can take advantage of it. Since dolphins are also toothed whales, they also have a sonar system. They emit the sound signal via a fat lens, the so-called melon. This hits the object and is sent back like an echo. The “sound response” is not conducted via the melon, but via the “acoustic windows”, oil channels located in the lower jaw, to the inner ear and from there to the brain. This information gives the dolphin an accurate picture of the object. Our Atlantic spotted dolphins used these to their advantage today. This certainly made for full stomachs. However, there was also time to take a look at our guests. With these, the little dolphins were the spotted stars of the day today.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

13:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

14:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins

17:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Loggerhead turtle