One of the dolphin species seen on a regular basis in Plettenberg Bay is the humpback dolphin. In the world there are 4 species of humpback dolphin, the Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) and 3 types of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (S. plumbea, S. chinensis and S. sahulensis). For a long time it was believed that READ MORE
Cuttlefish, despite the name, are in fact not fish but molluscs. Together with octopus, squid and nautiluses they belong to the class Cephalopoda (meaning to have the head and foot joined). Cuttlefish have a large head with prominent eyes and two fins running along the side of the mantle (main body). Some species can reach READ MORE
Our last post was about orcas, how they live and hunt around the world (see our homepage). When orcas are seen close to the coastline in South Africa it’s always great news, for most it is a novelty to see these animals. The distribution of orcas within the southern African region is widespread, occurring both READ MORE
Over the past weekend, we have enjoyed frequent sightings of a large pod of approximately 200 Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins. Our encounters with the dolphins have been both in the surf zone where dolphins spend about 75% of their lives and out in the bay, into which they venture to feed on bait-fish and squid. The READ MORE
Killer whales, also referred to as Orca’s, from a shortened version of their scientific name Orcinus orca, are one of the world’s most well recognised cetaceans. This is largely due to the exposure they received from the ‘Free Willy’ films and the demand for them in captivity for performances. Unfortunately, none of these situations portray READ MORE
We had an amazing trip this morning, where we found a pod of Humpback dolphins in the surf zone along Keurbooms. All guests got very excited seeing a small calf in the pod swimming with its mother
Did you know??? Did you know that although Bottlenose dolphins are not an endangered species, there are a number of human induced threats to them? These threats come in various forms, from entanglement and drowning in fishing and shark exclusion nets to a build-up of toxins in their bodies from agricultural run-off and pollution. Their READ MORE
Cape fur seals belong to the eared seal family (Otariidae) and are a sub species of the Afro-Australian Fur seal. Sub species are genetically similar species that are separated geographically (living in different parts of the world) or ecologically (same area, different prey or habitat preferences). The Cape fur seal and Australian fur seal are READ MORE
Nudibranchs are soft bodied, marine molluscs that shed their shells after their larval stage. They normally have extraordinary colouration patterns and prominent forms. The word nudibranch comes from the Latin word nudus meaning ‘naked’ and the Greek word brankhia that means ‘gills’. More than 3,000 species of nudibranchs have been described worldwide. Nudibranchs can occur READ MORE
When walking on the beach in Plettenberg Bay different kinds of shells from marine animals can be found like Cuttlefish bones, mussels, clams and the most attractive of all, the pansy shell (Echinodiscus bisperforatus). The pansy shell is an icon for Plettenberg Bay and is the symbol for the Bitou Municipality. Even though they are READ MORE