Familiar fins

This morning we encountered some two different groups of bottlenose dolphins. Among the groups the crew spotted several familiar fins. We can recognise the different individuals from the natural marks they have on their dorsal fins. Just like our fingerprints each dolphin has unique markings on its dorsal fin (seen below in some of today’s photos). By routinely photographing and and keeping catalogs of the bottlenose dolphins, and other species we see here in the Azores, we have been able to learn more about them over the years. Todays dolphins were ones that we have been seeing for many years, so we have got to know them quite well. Although they were in two different groups this morning they are in fact individuals that we often see together in a single larger group. It seems that today they spread out a bit to search for food. Between their feeding dives they were also curious towards our catamaran and the people aboard so we could see them really well right in front and next to our boat.