The good news is that we can regularly encounter a pod off of Lana'i with dolphins which number in the hundreds, and while this makes for exhilarating dolphin viewing on our snorkeling tours to Lanai, it's important we pay attention to sustainable practices to ensure their long-term survival. Spinner dolphins should not be encircled or trapped between boats or shore. There has been a marked increase in the number of scars from cookie cutter sharks, and it's theorized that younger members of the pod could be more vulnerable to predation when the pod hasn't been adequately rested. Remain at least 50 yards (1/2 a football field) from spinner dolphins. One theory which has been suggested for the decreasing pod size is that since human interaction with dolphins has increased (ie swimming with dolphins during their resting hours), adult pod members don't have the same level of alertness which is required to protect the pod from attack. While the exact answer to this question is disputed, one thing that researchers seem to agree on is that the average pod size is shrinking. Sometimes you can encounter pods containing upwards of 300 dolphins, whereas other times you can find pods of spinner dolphins which barely stretch over 15. The questions of how many dolphins are in a pod is actually a complicated issue. Photo Credit: Divemaster Matthew Wheeler How many dolphins are in a pod? On the other hand, if you just happen to be swimming in a place like Hulopo'e Bay and a pod of dolphins surrounds you, the best thing to do is not to chase after them and sit back and enjoy the show. While this might not seem like that big of a deal, research has shown that the alertness level of Hawaiian spinner dolphins has seen a decrease in recent years, and there has been a marked increase in Hawaiian spinner dolphins with wounds from cookie cutter sharks (after all, it's harder to evade a predator when you've been up all night). In some adult males, the dorsal fin looks as if has been stuck on backwards.
They often have a striped appearance with a dark gray back, gray flanks and white underside. Coloration varies depending on where they live. When you swim into a pod of sleeping dolphins, it is no different than jumping into someone's bed while they are trying to take a nap the disturbance ends up waking the dolphins, and consequently they get a poor sleep due to the constant interruptions. Spinner dolphins are medium-sized dolphins with long, slender beaks.
Because they have stayed up all night hunting, the dolphins need to rest during the daylight hours to prepare for another round of hunting (remember, just because the dolphins are still swimming doesn't mean they are awake). This is one of our most frequently asked questions, and the short answer is that, no, you can't, because swimming with spinner dolphins during the daylight hours is very disruptive of their sleep cycle.
Can I swim with Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins?
0 kommentar(er)
