Heaps of feeding action as large numbers of bottlenose and common dolphins gather off our shores

Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) porpoising close to Terra Azul boat almost gave a perfect chrono-shot of a dolphin breach.

Today we encountered a large pod of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that we estimated to be around two hundred individual strong. Several sub-groups were involved in foraging activities and many individuals came to bow ride our boat, giving us a better idea of their actual size. Adult Bottlenose Dolphins can grow up to 4 meters long for more than 500 kilograms of weight.

We also spent some time with a big pod of Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Hard to estimate their numbers as the aggregation was spread over a nautical mile. Traveling and feeding groups were followed by Cory’s Shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) competing over the schooling fish pushed to the surface by the dolphin’s team work.

Finally, we came across what looked to be a Common Dolphin nursing group with at least five calves already swimming quite far from their mothers. Here one of the new members of the pod 🙂