Whales	Dolphins	Seals & Sharks	Seabirds
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Humpback, Southern Right & Brydes Whales, Dolphins & Orcas (or Killer Whales), Seals & Sharks & Seabirds



Humpback, Southern Right & Brydes Whales
The Southern Right Whales can be seen in our waters during the winter months, June to October when they migrate from their sub Antarctic feeding grounds to our sheltered bay to give birth, raise calves and breed. They are slow moving but give spectacular displays of breaching, lob tailing and spy hopping. From mid June to October we see the Humpback Whales on their annual migration from the Antarctic to their breeding grounds of Madagascar and Mozambique. The Bryde's Whales are permanent residents, to be seen all year round along our coastline. (Research Project Pending). Minke Whales and other Rare Species are also occasional visitors and on three occasions we have seen seven cetacean species on one trip.



Dolphins & Orcas (or Killer Whales)
Dolphins, Throughout the whole year you can observe the playful and very active Bottlenose Dolphins, which are often encountered in large groups. The rare and shy Indopacific Humpback Dolphin is a worldwide endangered species and small pods live along our coastline. The fascinating Common Dolphins, very agile and one of the fastest swimmers, occur in large groups of 2000 or more individuals, further out on the open sea. Orcas or Killer Whales, which also belong to the dolphin family are transient in this ocean and occur occasionally throughout the year.



Seals and Sharks
Seals, A large and very active colony of Cape Fur Seals lives permanently on the Robberg Peninsula and they can be seen in and around the bay and are endemic to South Africa. Sharks, apart from the
famous Great White Sharks, we encounter Hammerheads, Ragged Tooth and Maco Sharks.

Seabirds
Along our coastline we see the African Black Oyster Catcher, South Africa's second most endangered coastal bird, as well as Gull, Cormorant and Tern Species. Further out to sea we regularly encounter many fascinating Pelagic Birds : Albatross, Petrels, Shearwaters, Cape Gannets

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SCIENTIFIC NAMES AND DATA
Bryde's Whale - Balaenopters edeni, Southern Right Whale - Eubalaena australis, Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus, South African or Cape Fur Seal - Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus, Humpback Whale -, Megaptera novaengliae, Common Dolphin - Delphinus delphis, Orca - Orcinus orca, Seabirds, The African Penguin - Spheniscus Demersus, African Black Oyster Catcher - Haematipus moquini, Shy Albatross - Diomedea cauta, Whitebreasted Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo, Cape Cormorant - Phalacrocorax capensis, Cape Gannet - Morus capensis, Kelp Gull - Larus dominicanus

Bryde's Whale - Balaenopters edeni
Description
The Bryde’s Whale is slender, medium- sized and fast moving. They are dark grey in colour with a prominent dorsal fin close to the tail stock. Adults reach up to 14.6 metres in length and weigh up to 20 tonnes. Bryde’s whales are resident in or around the bay all year round; they can sometimes be seen feeding in the company of Cape Gannets and sometimes with various dolphin species. These feeding aggregations are an impressive sight, their diet consisting of schooling fish such as herring, pilchards and sardines, krill and squid.
Exploitation and Protection
In South African waters, 1 564 Bryde’s Whales were taken between 1917 and 1967 from shore-based stations. In 1977, without first consulting with the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) Scientific Committee, Japan’s Far Seas Fisheries Research Laboratory assigned itself a scientific permit to kill 240 Bryde’s Whales in the southern ocean to estimate the population, size and structure of this zero quota stock for rational exploitation. During the 1970’s the ‘pirate’ whaler MV SIERRA killed some 400 whales per year in the Southern hemisphere, some off the South African coast. All this produce was sold to Japan. To date we have few estimates for Bryde’s Whale population size. We do not know, either, how many Bryde’s whales there were before exploitation began.
In 1983, scientist undertook an assssment cruise for the inshore stock of Bryde’s Whales off the South African coast from 21 January to 14 February. A total of 156 whales were sighted between East London and the Orange River mouth. It is apparent from the observations of scientists, complemented by those of Dolphin Action & Protection Group’s (DAPG’s) DOLPHIN WHALE WATCH RSA project, that there is
only a small, discrete population of Bryde’s whales resident inshore in certain areas off the South African coast, which needs continued monitoring and protection.

Southern Right Whale – Eubalaena australis
Description
This is probably the best known of all whales in South Africa. The Southern Right Whale is stocky and fat in appearance, and marked with skin thickenings or callosities on the upper and lower jaw and above the eye, they have no dorsal fin. Individuals up to 17.7 metres have been recorded. They migrate from their sub Antarctic feeding grounds to bays off the south Cape coast to give birth, raise calves and breed. The Right Whales can be seen with great predictability over several months of the year from May to October and will peak in numbers in August and September. Although they are slow moving whales, they can give a spectacular display of breaching, lobtailing, spyhopping and engaging in
apparent courtship rituals. They are selective feeders, feeding on copepods and krill.
Exploitation and Protection
The Southern Right Whale was so named because it was considered to be the ‘right’ whale to hunt. Its high yield of oil, it’s very silky baleen (the large food filter plates which hang from the roof of its mouth) a whale which floated in the water when killed and slow moving made it one of the most sought after and most ruthlessly hunted of all whale species. Today, the Northern Right Whale is virtually extinct. In the Southern hemisphere, populations show a slow increase since international protection in 1935. There are estimated to be about 4 000-5 000 Southern Right Whales at present, with South Africa receiving the major percentage (approximately 2 300) visiting its coasts annually. Present populations of Southern Right Whales are about 10% of the initial estimated stocks before whaling started in the 18th century.

Bottlenose Dolphins
Description
This is the largest of the beaked dolphins; colouration is usually dark grey above, fading on the sides to a pinkish white belly. They live in social pods, at times it is not unusual to have +/- 1000 in the bay. They feed co-operatively on fish and squid sometimes encircling a shoal different members will feed whilst others keep the fish in position. Common Dolphin – Delphinus delphis Large groups of common dolphins up to +/- 2000 are encountered slightly further offshore and in the bay. They are more streamlined and acrobatic often seen riding in the bow wave of boats. They have distinctive markings, the back being black with ochre and grey flanks with a dark stripe from the black beak to and around the eye. They feed on mainly fish and squid, generally being unspecialized and opportunistic.
Indo – Pacific Humpback Dolphin – Sousa chinensis Similar in features to the bottlenose dolphin they are distinguished by a hump beneath their dorsal fin. They live in smallish groups; we have one of the healthiest populations of this rare humpback dolphin with two populations on the eastern and western parts of the bay respectfully. Their diet consists of reef-dwelling fish and possibly crustaceans, they have been observed hunting with bottlenose dolphins. These dolphins seldom venture deeper than 15-20 m depth of water.
Exploitation and Protection
Dolphins in general have not been exploited to the same extent as some other marine species, however, there are several areas that threaten their populations. Habitat depletion is most likely the highest threat to dolphins. Water quality is affected by the input of chemicals, sewage and
waste. Dolphins, being at the top of the food-chain, will accumulate toxins in large amounts; which in some parts of the world has been associated with infertility and high mortalities. Depletion of the food resources is possible through over fishing or habitat degredation. Underwater blasting to enlarge channels could also be detrimental to dolphins living close to the area. Commercial Ecotourism is another threat to dolphin populations if their operation is not conducted in an ecological and sustainable fashion. There are currently more operators using dolphins as a major focus for their business. During 1994, the Dolphin Research Institute chaired a forum of tour operators which established a voluntary Code of Practice for their operation. This Code of Practice has formed the basis for the current Code of Practice drawn up by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Recreational boaters potentially impose pressure on the dolphins in the waters. Extreme cases are sometimes seen where the dolphins are deliberately harassed by people in boats or on power skis. In many cases the harassment is unintentional but most of the pressure could be avoided if recreational users adheared to regulations.

South African or Cape Fur Seal – Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus
Description
Cape fur seals are a uniform rich chocolate-brown with sleek, streamlined bodies. They are covered in a layer of insulating blubber and thick fur to reduce heat loss, whilst their limbs are modified into flippers. They have small external ears, and are able to rotate their hind limbs forward to enable them to walk on land. They are perfectly adapted for existence in water and have been known to dive to depths of 200 metres for periods in excess of 7 minutes; their diet consists mainly of pelagic fish i.e. anchovies and pilchards, as well as squid. They colonize areas, which the adult bulls defend, particularly
during the breeding season.
Exploitation and Protection
In the 1800’s Dutch, French, British and American sealers began to exploit seals on the islands along the Cape coast. They killed whatever they could, including females and pups, for skins, meat and oil. There are no records of the exact numbers taken, but at least 23 island colonies became extinct. By the time the seals were given legal protection in 1893, numbers had dropped alarmingly low. From that time no seals could be killed without a permit. During the 20th century the species are now recovering dramatically. This is a controversial issue amongst commercial fishermen who assert that the rapidly increasing population of seals are prejudicing their catches; seals, in this country, consuming at least 2 million tonnes of fish each year. Today, seals are protected under the Seal and Seabirds Protection Act of 1973.
Help us Mother our Oceans

Humpback Whales - Megaptera novaengliae
Description
The humpback is a stocky animal with a rounded body narrowing to a slender tail stock; the pectoral fins are huge (Megaptera means “great wing”) and may be as much as a third of the total body length.
They reach up to 19 metres and 48 tonnes at maturity. Males produce melodious ‘songs’ that communicate over long distances underwater. Humpback whales are seen off our shores between May and December during their annual migration from their Antarctic feeding grounds to their breeding grounds off Mozambique and Madagascar. They can also be seen on their return journey, when they congregate off Robberg Peninsula where one can witness some awe-inspiring arial displays. They seldom feed during winter, relying on blubber reserves to sustain themselves. They feed on krill and small schooling fish. Exploitation and Protection Largely because of their tendency to frequent coastal waters, and their habitual return to the same regions each year, humpback whales have been
exploited by commercial whalers all around the world. Humpbacks were hunted for their oil, meat and whalebone. Exploitation of the humpbacks' prey also has negative impacts on the species; the
depletion of the capelin stocks is of particular concern. During the 1970's, many humpbacks died because of fishing nets; this is still a concern. Oil pollution is also a threat to this species. Most populations were drastically reduced by commercial whalers in the early part of the 19th century, leaving only between 5 and 10 per cent of the original stock remaining. In the North Pacific, it is estimated that as many as 15,000 humpbacks existed prior to 1900. The population was truly decimated to fewer than 1,000 individuals before an international ban on commercial whaling was instituted in 1964. In spite of their recent strides towards recovery, humpbacks continue to be designated as an endangered species. The humpback whale has been protected by the International Whaling Commission since 1955 in the North Atlantic and since 1965 in the North Pacific. During the 1980's, the inhabitants of western Greenland were still hunting humpbacks, but they were limited to 10 whales per year.

Common Dolphin – Delphinus delphis
Description
Large groups of common dolphins up to +/- 2000 are encountered slightly further offshore and in the bay. They are more streamlined and acrobatic often seen riding in the bow wave of boats. They have distinctive markings, the back being black with ochre and grey flanks with a dark stripe from the black beak to and around the eye. They feed on mainly fish and squid, generally being unspecialized and opportunistic.
Exploitation and Protection
Dolphins in general have not been exploited to the same extent as some other marine species, however, there are several areas that threaten their populations. Habitat depletion is most likely the highest threat to dolphins. Water quality is affected by the input of chemicals, sewage and waste.
Dolphins, being at the top of the food-chain, will accumulate toxins in large amounts; which in some parts of the world has been associated with infertility and high mortalities. Depletion of the food resources is possible through over fishing or habitat degredation. Underwater blasting to enlarge channels could also be detrimental to dolphins living close to the area. Commercial Ecotourism is another threat to dolphin populations if their operation is not conducted in an ecological and sustainable fashion. There are currently more operators using dolphins as a major focus for their business. During 1994, the Dolphin Research Institute chaired a forum of tour operators which established a voluntary Code of Practice for their operation. This Code of Practice has formed the basis for the current Code of Practice drawn up by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Recreational boaters potentially impose pressure on the dolphins in the waters. Extreme cases are sometimes seen where the dolphins are deliberately harassed by people in boats or on power skis. In many cases the harassment is unintentional but most of the pressure could be avoided if recreational users adheared to regulations.

Orca – Orcinus orca
Description
Unmistakable in appearance the Orca is the largest of the dolphin family, with a robust and graceful body boldly marked in glossy black and white. The dorsal fin is very large, jutting upwards in males whilst the females curves backwards and is smaller; they can grow up to 9.4 metres in length. They are most common in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic although they are spotted off our coast periodically. Their diet resembles that of the great white shark both as a predator and in its range of food types.
They are carnivorous and eat fish (including sharks and even great whites), squid, seabirds, seals, turtles, dolphins, and whales. They feed co-operatively in groups of up to twenty, even harassing and killing baleen whales (the largest recorded being a Blue whale which can measure up to 25 metres in length, the average weighing 100 tonnes).
Exploitation and Protection
Regarded as too small by the commercial whalers the Killer whale population has not been depleted. While early whaling practices have accounted for Killer whale deaths and indeed many other small cetaceans, it is defined as 'subsistance' or 'aboriginal' whaling and refers to the catching of whales from small boats (or from the beach) to satisfy material and cultural needs in local communities. The indians of Vancouver and Washington on the Pacific coast of North America hunted the Gray whale and the Killer whale in this manner and for these reasons. Opportunistic hunting applies to modern whale catchers everywhere. With a fast boat and the right equipment its hard to pass up an easy kill so it
is not uncommon for vessels from the Faroes catching Fin whales to harvest small species such as Killer whales and Atlantic White-sided Dolphin. Between 1938 and 1967 the Norwegians took 1,400 Killer whales in the Northeast Atlantic. During it's 1979-80 Southern Hemisphere whaling season the Soviet fleet targeted the Killer whale, with 916 killed, along with many larger species. A perceived conflict between man and whale in pursuit of a common source of food has led to many Killer whale deaths in the Icelandic and Norwegian herring fisheries. We are also fortunate enough to occasionally experience:
Sei Whale – Balaenoptera borealis,
Fin Whales – Balaenpotera physalus,
Minke Whales – Balaenoptera acutorostrata,
Sperm Whales – Physeter catodon,
False Killer Whales – Pseudorca crassidens.

The International Whaling Commission
In 1946, an international committee, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established to oversee management of the whaling industry worldwide and to provide for the conservation of whales so that they "may be safeguarded for future generations. " Membership to the Commission was open to all of the whaling nations of the world. The IWC operated according to guidelines set forth in the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, a formal agreement developed at the time the Commission was established. The Convention imposed regulations for hunting species of whales determined to need protection and set open and closed seasons and waters . In its first twenty years the IWC concentrated heavily on managing the business aspects of whaling. It was not until the 1960's, following the depletion of several major whale populations, including those of the humpback and blue whale, that the IWC expanded its role to include a strong conservation ethic. In 1986 the IWC instituted a 10 year moratorium, or complete ban, on commercial whaling to properly determine the status of
whale populations and give depleted populations an opportunity to recover.

Since the moratorium went into effect, several pro-whaling nations including Iceland, Norway and Japan have expressed their dissatisfaction over the moratorium as they wish to continue hunting some species of whales as a source of food and oil. Some of these nations have withdrawn or have threatened to withdraw from the IWC, while others are no longer honoring the moratorium. At least 14,000 whales have been killed since the moratorium took effect. In 1992, more whales were killed than in any year since the moratorium's passing. This illustrates the fact that the moratorium on commercial whaling is being weakened. Presently under the IWC Convention two types of whaling are legally permitted.
These two types are:
1) Subsistence whaling, or the taking of a limited number of whales by certain indigenous, or native peoples, for their own use, and
2) Scientific whaling which refers to the regulated taking of whales that are not considered to be threatened or endangered for the purpose of furthering our knowledge about whales. In contrast, there are two types of whaling that are not legally permitted under the moratorium, but continue to be practiced by members of some nations despite the international ban.
These are
1) Pirate whaling which is the non-regulated, illegal taking of whales and
2) Commercial whaling which is the taking of whales for commercial sale.
The main motive behind both these types of whaling is the potential to make large sums of money. For instance, in Japan whale meat is a delicacy commanding prices of more than $100 per pound. Such profits provide economic incentive for pro-whaling nations to have the moratorium on commercial whaling lifted, and to have the quotas on scientific whaling increased, as many of the whales hunted under the guise of scientific research mysteriously find their way into the commercial markets.

Seabirds

THE AFRICAN PENGUIN – Spheniscus Demersus
Description
The African (jackass) penguin occurs along the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. These African penguins usually breed on the relative safety of islands. There are 16 species of penguin world-wide, but only the African penguin occurs on our coast. The Jackass, so called because of the sound that it makes, much like a jackass. It is much smaller than other species of penguins with an average height of only 70 cm, a weight of 4.4 kg and a life span of about 27 years. The African penguin spends 75% of their day at sea and can dive from 148 to 160 feet under water. These penguins adjust to different
temperatures by huddling together to keep warm when it is cold and by digging borrows underground to keep cool. These birds build their nests under bushes and usually lays two eggs. The gestation period of the eggs is 3 months and both the male and female take turns caring for it.
Exploitation and Protection
African penguins became endangered because of commercial egg and guano collection and because anchovies and pilchards, their preferred prey, were severely depleted by fishing. Seals, which also used to feed on these fish, increasingly prey on penguins. African penguins have also been subject to numerous oil spills over the past 30 years. During the 1994 Apollo Sea disaster about 10 000 penguins were oiled. Several thousand died, further endangering the species. Cape Nature Conservation and SANCCOB managed to rescue, clean, ring and release about 4 500 penguins. About 3000 of these were from Dassen Island and it appears that more than 1 200 have returned to this island. This may be one of the world’s most successful oiled sea-bird rescue operations.

African Black Oyster Catcher – Haematipus moquini
Description
The rare African Black Oyster Catcher is found only on the coasts of South Africa and Namibia and is the only species of oystercatcher which breeds in Africa. The African Black Oystercatchers’ obtain all their food from the inter-tidal zone of rocky and sandy shores and therefore, can only feed during the low tide periods. Their favorite prey is limpets and mussels. These birds mate for life, where some pairs are known to have been together for nearly 20 years. They are believed to have a life span of 35 years or more and do not breed for the first time untill they are three or four years old.
Exploitation and Protection
The world population is less than 5 000 individuals and is entirely confined to the open coast and a few large estuaries between northern Namibia and the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa: more than 75% of the population is in South Africa. It is rarer than the Southern Right Whale and is in an International Red Data Species. Evidence is mounting that the African Black Oyster Catcher faces a conservation crisis due to human pressure on its costal habitats. Whithin the last 50 years, one African oystercatcher species has already been driven to extinction by man’s activities. The Oystercatcher
Conservation Program was developed in 1998 and is headed by the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town. Its aim is to design a conservation strategy for the African Black Oyster Catcher which is scientifically based, defensible and will contribute significantly to the conservation of other coastal species as well as raising awareness of the conservation needs of South Africa’s coast.

SHY ALBATROSS – Diomedea cauta
Description
This species of Albatross is only slightly smaller than the ‘great’ albatrosses with an average height of 98 cm and differs from the other species by having an all-dark back uniform with the upperwings. They have a pale grey wash to the head with a vaguely contrasting white crown and a greenish bill with a yellow tip. Immature birds have asmudged greyish head and colooar and a dark-tipped grey bill.
These seabirds come ashore only to breed. The Albatrosses are the world's largest bird, in terms of wingspan. Egg-laying occurs between mid-April to the end of June, usually resulting in one large white egg whose incubation is shared by both parents. The tiny brown hatchling that results gives little indication of the nine pound bird with the six foot wingspan that will result (still, among the smallest of albatross species).
Exploitation and Protection
The shy albatross is listed as vulnerable under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. Three other albatrosses are also listed as vulnerable and a fourth, the wandering albatross, is listed as endangered. Albatross are threatened species because of two main factors. Firstly albatross are very slow maturers. Some species take up to ten years before they reach reproductive maturity. Then they only lay one egg every two years. Secondly their lifestyle leads them into danger. Albatross are great fliers. They leave their nest sites as juveniles and spend up to five years at sea. Albatross catch fish by diving under the water. These techniques have stood them in good stead for thousands of years. However human fishing practices have taken an incalculable toll on these sea birds. It's estimated that up to 1 500 shy albatross are killed each year on longlines out of a total breeding population of 12 000.
Albatross get caught when the longlines are newly baited and cast into the water. The birds feed on the still floating fish bait, become hooked and are then dragged under the water and drowned.
Wildlife officers have been developing practical and economically viable solutions to stop albatross from longline tuna fishing. These include an automatic bait caster which consistently throws the bait further from the boat. Lines thrown closer to the boat are pushed to the surface by the action of the propeller. Also several juveniles have been fitted with transmitters. This will show their migration routes and where they congregate at certain times of the year. This information can then be used to try and reduce seabird by-catch. Such strategies are being adopted by the longlining companies and included in national regulations. Education of both the general public and longlining companies is a very important
part in helping to reduce such threats to these birds.

WHITEBREASTED CORMORANT - Phalacrocorax carbo
Description
The Whitebreasted Cormorant is the largest of all cormorants and is recognizable by its all-white throat and breast. Tor a short period while breeding it shows a large white flank patch and white flecking on the head. They forage on inland and in marine coastal waters, diving below the surface to catch fish with their long, hooked bills.

CAPE CORMORANT – Phalacrocorax capensis
Description
When seen singly, this medium sized cormorant might be confused with either the Bank or the Crowned cormorants. Smaller than the Bank Cormorant, it also has a flatter crown and a more snake-like head with an orange to yellow gular area. The Cape Cormoant does not have the same oil glands in their feathers as most other birds. In order to dry their wings they must flap them in the wind.

CAPE GANNET - Morus capensis
Description
The Cape Gannet is a long slender whit bird with black flight and tail feathers. The massive pointed bill and yellowish creamy head are seen best at close range. At sea these birds often fly in skeins, high or low over the water. These birds are inshore or open-ocean feeders. They are most extraordinary birds when seen diving at top speed into the ocean. They breed in colonies on islands and cliffs.

KELP GULL - Larus dominicanus
Description
The Kelp Gull may be confused with the Lesser Blackbacked Gull but differs by its size. The Kelp Gull is more robust, thicker bill and olive, rather than yellow legs and feet. First year Kelp Gulls may also be confused with the Subantarctic Skua. Most often seen on inshore waters, this bird also frequents deep-sea trawlers, the open coast, estuaries, harbours and dumps. Gulls are usually identifiable by their wing and head patterns and bill and leg coloration.