Dolphin Diary 2018

JUNE

A total of 2500 Spinners (during 17 cruises at Kuda Huraa) and 450 Spinners (5 cruises at Landaa Giraavaru) were sighted, along with several small pods of Bottlenose dolphins and False killer whales. Dolphin calves were commonly seen, and the Spinners actively interacted with our boats on most of the excursions. The largest pod was an estimated 800 Spinners, whereas the smallest was a pod of 5 Bottlenose.
We were able to add 25 new Spinner dolphins into our ID database, and recorded one positive re-sighting (‘Amber’ from 22 April) bringing the total to 47 uniquely identified individuals.

JULY

Over the 13 dolphin cruises at Landaa this month, we recorded 480 Spinners (10 to 200 per pod) and 100 Bottlenose (4 to 40 per pod). This yielded the positive identification of two new Bottlenose dolphins, and the possible re-sightings of two Bottlenose and one Spinner.

At Kuda Huraa, we arranged 14 cruises and were able to record 1685 Spinners (20 to 250 per pod) but zero Bottlenose dolphins. We now have a total of 99 uniquely identified Spinner dolphins.

AUGUST

During August, we recorded 830 Spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostri) around Kuda Huraa, plus 250 Spinners and 33 Bottlenose dolphins at Landaa Giraavaru. This resulted in six Spinners and five Bottlenose being uniquely identified and newly added to our database, plus possible re-sightings of a further 12 individuals.

SEPTEMBER

September was a good month for cetacean sightings, with encounters lasting 10-50 minutes and comprising:
– 2000 Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostri) in pods of 10-300, usually with calves,
– 22 Bottlenose Dolphins (1-10 individuals),
– 50 Pilot Whales.

34 new Spinner dolphins were successfully identified as unique individuals due to their characteristic fin shapes.

We also have successfully re-sighted over 40 individuals, including:
– ‘Becky’ – re-sighted three times in the past month, and
– ‘Snow’ – multiple re-sightings, and easy to ID due to a condition called leucism, the loss of skin pigmentation. (Not to be confused with albinism, the complete absence of pigmentation causing white skin and pink/red eyes).

OCTOBER

At Kuda Huraa, we recorded 1870 Spinners in pods of 20-300 individuals, plus a single pod of 25 Bottlenose. Calves were sighted during all the trips.
A total of 21 new Spinner dolphins were uniquely identified and added to our Dolphin ID database, and we made successful re-sightings of two individuals.

At Landaa Giraavaru, we recorded 525 cetaceans, comprising:
– 475 Spinners (pods of 10-150 individuals),
– 9 Bottlenose,
– 10 Pilot whales,
– and amazingly, 22 Sperm whales near Reethi Beach!

A total of 3 new Bottlenose and 4 new Spinner dolphins were individually identified and added to our database, along with confirmed re-sightings of 1 Bottlenose and 7 individual Spinners.

NOVEMBER

 At Kuda Huraa, 1280 Spinners were sighted in total, plus 1 pod of approximately 50 Short-fin pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) that were travelling with a pod of 100 Spinners. From our collection of photographs, we were able to uniquely identify 35 new Spinners and confirm 22 re-sightings.

At Landaa, 380 dolphins were recorded – 250 Spinners (in pods of 10 – 150 individuals) and 130 Bottlenose (10 – 60 individuals). 4 new Bottlenose and 3 new Spinners were uniquely identified, plus 1 Bottlenose was confirmed as a re-sighting.

DECEMBER

At Kuda Huraa, 860 Spinners were recorded for the month, in pods of between 20 to 150 individuals, with encounters lasting from 21 to 41 minutes. From our photographs, 14 new Spinners were uniquely identified (current database total now 137 individuals) with a further 20 dolphins confirmed as resightings this month (now totalling 247).

At Landaa, we conducted 11 dolphin cruises plus one private excursion, with an estimated 778 dolphins recorded, comprising 755 Spinners (pods of 30 to 150 individuals) and 23 Bottlenose (pods of 3 to 20). From our photographs, we were able to uniquely identify 1 new Bottlenose, and confirm a resighting of 1 Spinner.

During 2018, we conducted a total of 175 dolphin cruises (82% success rate) at Landaa, recording a total of 6,800 Cetaceans (mostly Spinners, with frequent Bottlenose and occasional Pilot whales, Risso dolphins and Sperm whales).

Dolphin Diary 2019

JANUARY

At Landaa Giraavaru, we sighted 525 Spinner dolphins (in pods of 20 – 140 individuals) and 45 Bottlenose (15-30 individuals) across 9 dolphin cruises.

At Kuda Huraa, we recorded 905 Spinners (in pods of up to 200 individuals) and one pod of short-finned pilot whales across 16 dolphin cruises.

From the photographs we took on the excursions, we were unable to positively identify any new individuals, however 7 dolphins were confirmed as re-sightings.

FEBRUARY

At Landaa, we conducted 11 cruises during the month, and recorded an estimated 500 dolphins in total (30 Bottlenose and 470 Spinners).

At Kuda Huraa, we conducted 15 cruises and sighted 450 individual Spinners (pods of 3 to 70 individuals), during encounters that lasted from 9 to 41 minutes in duration.

No new individuals were uniquely identified, but we will keep the monthly photographs for future referencing.

MARCH

At Landaa Giraavaru, we conducted 12 dolphin cruises during the month, and cetaceans were successfully spotted on each trip. We estimated the numbers to be approximately 870 Spinners (in pods of 50-150 individuals) and 55 Bottlenose dolphins (25-30 individuals) in encounters lasting 30-45 minutes.

After trialling i3s software, we have started to switch over to Darwin cetacean ID software for better accuracy and easier comparisons with Kuda Huraa. We are working through our database, tidying up the data and images over the next few months.

At Kuda Huraa this month, we conducted 17 cruises and recorded sightings of 575 Spinner dolphins (in pods of 25-50 individuals) with encounters lasting 20-53 minutes. On 24 March, we were excited to spot a pod of around 25 Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), which are rarely seen (our last recorded sighting was May 2016).

From our ID photographs, we positively identified 7 new Spinner dolphin individuals, and confirmed re-sightings of 20 individuals already entered in our database. Additionally, 5 of the Risso’s dolphins displayed sufficiently marked dorsal fin patterns to be uniquely entered as the first Risso’s in our database.

APRIL

At Landaa, we conducted 11 dolphin excursions this month, sighting 460 Spinners (with encounters lasting between 2 and 60 minutes) plus 60 Bottlenose (5 to 45 minute encounters).

At Kuda Huraa, we recorded 710 Spinners over 16 excursions, in pods ranging from 15 to 100 individuals, and during encounters lasting from 10 to 40 minutes. We experienced very calm seas with good visibility this month, meaning the smaller calves were easily sighted on 15 of the 16 trips.

From our photographs, we were able to positively identify 5 new Spinner dolphin individuals this month, and confirmed a further 13 positive re-sightings of dolphins already in our database.

MAY

At Landaa, we held 9 dolphin excursions and sighted 325 Spinners, during encounter times of 5 to 45 minutes (lower than average). On one trip, we also sighted a pod of 10 Pilot whales.

Analysing our sightings data from the past 12 months, we have determined that cetaceans are more commonly sighted during the morning cruises than around sunset.

We have now completed importing all the sightings and photographic data into our Darwin ID software database. Recorded sightings of uniquely identified individual dolphins now totals 79 Spinners (100 sightings) and 68 Bottlenose (92 sightings).

At Kuda Huraa, we held 16 dolphin excursions and recorded a total of 915 dolphins, in pods of between 10 to 100 individuals, and usually with calves. Unusually (and excitingly!) we had 3 separate encounters with pods of Risso’s dolphins, which are rarely seen. We snapped plenty of shots of the Risso’s and hope to be able to identify individuals within the pods in the future.

From our ID photographs, we were able to uniquely identify 9 new Spinner dolphins, plus confirmed resightings of 27 individuals. Our current database now totals 162 Spinners (with 343 recorded sightings in total).

JUNE

​During the 14 excursions at Kuda Huraa this month, we recorded 990 Spinners (pods of 15 to 150 individuals), in encounters lasting from 7 to 51 minutes. We also had one encounter with a single pod of Bottlenose dolphins (not commonly sighted around Kuda Huraa).

At Landaa, we recorded 30 Spinner dolphins on 5 different excursions (quite low this month, due to rough weather).

From our photographs, we were able to uniquely identify 13 new Spinner individuals and positively confirm 19 Spinner resightings, bringing our database total to 179 individuals.

JULY

​During the 16 excursions at Kuda Huraa this month, we recorded 1050 individuals (pods of 6 to 175 individuals) in encounters lasting between 8 and 46 minutes. There was good interaction with our boat, and calves were spotted in most of the pods. Spinners were most frequently sighted, plus there was a single encounter with a pod of Risso’s dolphins (uncommon).

At Landaa, we recorded 185 Spinners on 11 different excursions, in encounters lasting from 2 to 45 minutes and displaying exciting interactions with our boat (spinning, bow/wave riding, tail flapping and breaching). Our new intern, Yaman Ibrahim, has been taking dolphin ID photos, and he successfully added 2 new Bottlenose dolphin individuals into our ID database.

​AUGUST

​Approximately 600 Spinners (in pods of 10 to 100 individuals) were recorded at Kuda Huraa during the 16 excursions in August, with encounters lasting from 8 to 44 minutes. Calves were sighted on most of the excursions, and there was plenty of interactivity with our boat. It was another good month for identifications, with 17 Spinner dolphins identified, comprising 16 resightings and one newly identified individual.

At Landaa, we recorded 110 Spinners and 6 Bottlenose dolphins, with encounter times of 20 to 40 minutes (but we were unable to take any good quality ID photographs this month).

SEPTEMBER

​At Kuda Huraa, we held 14 Dolphin Cruise excursions during the month of September. We recorded approximately 1000 Spinner dolphins, in pods of up to 150 individuals, during encounters lasting from 12 to 55 minutes. There was good interactivity with our boat, and calves were sighted on most of the excursions. We also recorded a small pod of 20 Bottlenose dolphins (unusual at Kuda Huraa, and our first sighting since June).
From our photographs, we successfully identified 8 new Spinner individuals, and confirmed a further 21 resightings.

At Landaa, we recorded 150 Spinners and 57 Bottlenose dolphins during a total of 9 excursions in encounters lasting from 5 to 60 minutes.
From our photographs this month, we confirmed resightings of 3 Bottlenose dolphins (Pineapple, Flipflop and Apricot) and added 1 new uniquely identifiable Bottlenose to the database (Amy Lou TT0071).

OCTOBER

At Landaa this month we sighted 495 Spinners and 33 Bottlenose dolphins during 10 separate excursions, in encounters lasting from 5 to 60 minutes. From our ID photographs, we were able to add 1 new Bottlenose dolphin individual to our database (Iris, TT0072).

At Kuda Huraa, we recorded 900 Spinner dolphins during 16 separate excursions, in pods of up to 100 individuals, and in encounters lasting from 3 to 36 minutes. There was good interactivity with our boat, and calves were sighted on most of the excursions. The ocean tended to be moderate to rough, making it harder to spot (and photograph) cetaceans due to the white wave caps. From our photographs, we were able to positively confirm the resightings of 16 Spinner individuals.

We recorded a single pod of 6 Bottlenose dolphins and experienced a very special encounter with pygmy killer whales, possibly swimming with one or more false killer whales.

We also had a special encounter with a whale shark during a staff fishing trip! Our fellow team members encountered the whale shark near One Palm dive site; we submitted photographs to the Maldives Whale Shark Research Program, and they identified it as a new individual.

NOVEMBER

At Kuda Huraa, a total of 640 Spinners were recorded during November, in pods of 30 to 100 individuals, with encounters lasting from 16 to 34 minutes. It was usual for the dolphins to interact with our boat, and calves were sighted on half the excursions. Despite the moderately rough seas, with their characteristic ‘white cap’ waves, we successfully sighted cetaceans on all 14 excursions (although, taking good ID photos proved trickier!)

At Landaa, we sighted 900 Spinners (highest his year) and 19 Bottlenose dolphins across 9 excursions, with encounters lasting from 5 to 60 minutes. From our ID photographs this month, we were able to uniquely identify 6 new Bottlenose and 4 new Spinner dolphin individuals, along with confirmed resightings of 9 Bottlenose and 1 Spinner.

With one year of collated data, we can now confirm that dolphin sightings are significantly higher during the morning cruises than at sunset.

DECEMBER

At Kuda Huraa, we sighted 885 Spinners this month, in pods of 30-150 individuals, across a total of 17 Dolphin Cruise excursions and during encounters lasting from 13-30 minutes. Calves were spotted on half of the excursions, and dolphins interacted with our boat during most of the encounters. The ocean tended to be choppy, with the waves making sightings and photography more difficult, however, we were able to confirm the resightings of 2 individuals.

At Landaa, we recorded 410 Spinners plus 22 Bottlenose dolphins, during 10 excursions, with encounter times lasting from 10-45 minutes. From our photographs this month, we were able to uniquely identify 4 new Spinner dolphin individuals to add to our database.