28.10.2021 – Assumptions

We know relatively little about cetaceans or, at least, there is so much more to find out. Of course we know more about some species than we do about others and the cetacean species we know the most about by far is the Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). In fact, we know so much about the Bottlenose dolphin that we tend to extrapolate that knowledge onto other species of dolphins. Of course one can not throw all species have different social lives, use their habitats differently and display different characteristic reactions to boat encounters. Bottlenose dolphins just happen to be one of the most adaptive and resilient cetaceans in an ocean that is ever changing as a result of mankind actions.

A group of cetaceans that we know extremely little about are the beaked whales. These deep divers spend most of their time in the darker layers of the water column despite breathing air. Here, they do everything that can be observed with several dolphin species at the surface like socialising, communicating, hunting…some species have never even been seen alive. The Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) belongs to the better known species but what we know about these incredible cetaceans is largely restricted to what we see at the surface.

We saw both species during this mornings tour and managed another sighting with the Bottlenose dolphins this afternoon. During all sightings we must be aware that what we know about the animals is largely based on assumptions and that we must be as intelligent and humble as we can when making them.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Blainville’s beaked whales

14:30 Bottlenose dolphins