A summer of dolphins, calves and newborns

During our tours, thanks to our guests’ support, EcoMarine continued boat-based surveys and data collection to implement knowledge and awareness about the population of bottlenose dolphins living in our research study area.

It is time to recap what has been done, check the pictures taken, and work on the photo identification catalogue.

 

Many spectacular sunrises and sunsets, together with the guests who accompanied us during our activities, led us to unforgettable days at sea.

We counted 65 sightings of bottlenose dolphins and 24 sightings of loggerhead turtles; we didn’t count the sightings of shearwaters, sunfishes, swordfishes, tunas, storm petrels and many other species encountered during the Marine Life Spottings.

Thanks to our hard-working team and the wonderful crew of tireless and enthusiastic volunteers.

 

 

What about our besties “Scalino” and “Harry Potter”?

Scalino was spotted several times alone and was very confident and friendly with the boats, approaching them and showing off as usual. Scalino is a “dolphin star” and likes to jump and show off in front of the public.

On another occasion, he was with a group of females and calves and in others with juveniles and males.

Unfortunately, Harry Potter wasn’t seen during our tours. We hope he moved somewhere else and is enjoying life as usual. One of the reasons we need to share our photo identification catalogue is to understand if he/she can be in other areas of the Mediterranean sea.

 

On the other side, we had multiple sightings of several mother-calf pairs! 2022 is the first year we have spotted newborns and calves so close to the shore. To the delight of the people onboard, the calves and newborns were breaching on more than one occasion.

 

 

This year in Malta, the weather is incredible, and the winter sightings are amazing in an incredibly (for Malta) peaceful and tranquil environment.

This past summer, we were spoiled by the quality and quantity of dolphin sightings. Our last sighting, a big group with calves, happened on the 18th of December.

We’re still learning a lot about bottlenoses in their natural habitat, and we are always adding more data to grow our knowledge about their habits.

 

 

Even if we only checked some of the season’s pictures (more than a thousand), we have recognized some new entries. We’re thrilled to have new dolphins in the group, providing further evidence that the Mediterranean Sea is a dynamic and dramatic ecosystem we must protect and preserve.

Eco Marine Malta is still strongly oriented to follow a path of marine sustainable tourism, now more than ever.

We believe that this is the only way to meet these astonishing animals and enjoy their “company”, following the right code of conduct, as explained in our dedicated website https://www.sightme.org/ , in their natural habitat, as it should be.

Ecotourism is more than hiking or camping. It is also a way to fund conservation and scientific research, protect fragile and pristine ecosystems, enhance ecological and cultural sensitivity, and create environmental awareness and social conscience in the travel industry. Satisfy and educate tourists, and, some claim, enjoy the planet’s harmony.

 

If you want to contribute to understanding the dynamics of the population, adopt a dolphins.