Equipa de Biólogos da Futurismo
There is no doubt July was a great month!
We had very good weather
conditions almost everyday, great encounters and emotions!
conditions almost everyday, great encounters and emotions!
The ranking is very different from other years and from other months. Normally the most sighted species are common dolphins. This is because they live in larger
groups and they are much more coastal animals making the encounters easier, but the biggest surprise and the winners of July were…The SPERM whales! (with a 100% rate
of successful encounters).
groups and they are much more coastal animals making the encounters easier, but the biggest surprise and the winners of July were…The SPERM whales! (with a 100% rate
of successful encounters).
We have been able to gather lots of data for our research; we saw
many tails and at least 3 of the pods or units that we have identified.
many tails and at least 3 of the pods or units that we have identified.
Sperm whales have been active: we saw pregnant sperm whales, and also giving birth TWICE, countless breaching and lobtailings…
Our biologist already discovered that the second birth belongs to the
White Unit!
White Unit!
In the areas where we were sighting them very often, we were able to see
(sometimes even to pick up) rests of the menu of sperm whales, pieces of
Seven-arm Octopus (Halipron atlanticus).
(sometimes even to pick up) rests of the menu of sperm whales, pieces of
Seven-arm Octopus (Halipron atlanticus).
This event of finding the rests of the
food of these giants of the ocean have happened more frequently than ever, and
also different as normally we recover pieces of other species of squids, so who
knows… but it seems that there is more seven-arm octopus around!
food of these giants of the ocean have happened more frequently than ever, and
also different as normally we recover pieces of other species of squids, so who
knows… but it seems that there is more seven-arm octopus around!
In addition to this, the rate of encounter with baleen whales have been much
lower this month if compared with other years, the diet of this group of
cetaceans consists on small fishes and plankton.
lower this month if compared with other years, the diet of this group of
cetaceans consists on small fishes and plankton.
The amount of food resources in and habitat defines the preferences of the species. We hope that our lovely moby dick whales stay much
longer in our ‘backyard’ as we like to say when they are really close to
the harbour of Ponta Delgada.
longer in our ‘backyard’ as we like to say when they are really close to
the harbour of Ponta Delgada.
The presence of Risso’s dolphins and striped dolphin has been very
strong this month unlike the Atlantic spotted dolphins which had been less
around than other years…
strong this month unlike the Atlantic spotted dolphins which had been less
around than other years…
Equipa de Biólogos da Futurismo
Sandrina Rodrigues
