28.09.2025 – Photo-ID

Today I want to present you a technique which scientists use to follow cetaceans over time and space. The technique is called Photo-ID. Many cetaceans like the Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and the Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) which we encountered today have unique marks on the body which we can use to identify an animal to a specific animal. For example in Risso’s dolphins every scar pattern, which they get due to fights between each other and predators and preys, is unique and helps us to identify those animals. If we now share does photos with other scientists we can see if they have seen the same animal. If that is the case we know where they went and we can figure out if they come back.

That is why a camera is one of the most important tools in cetacean science.

In the last trip we encountered another dolphins species, the so called Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). This is a shy dolphin. That is why it is difficult to take photos of the animals, but if you manage it they are one of the most beautiful.

By Horst Schulte

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Risso’s dolphins

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins

16:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Striped dolphins