Dolphin Tales: Dolphin party pre-Hurricane Rafael
I was on a charter Tuesday, Nov. 5, and our bottlenose dolphin were everywhere. A lot of socializing going on, AKA, mating. Very active pods converging together.
Hurricane Rafael was set to be about 200 miles offshore Wednesday evening, Nov. 6.
It was expected to bring some wind and much needed rain, but I don’t think the dolphins will need to move offshore. They will find shelter in Pine Island Sound and continue their mating activity.
Mating activity is fun for the dolphins. They chase each other, head butt each other, as well as scratch each other with their teeth. (That might hurt!) I often see the rake marks on the dolphins from the scratching activity.
The actual mating is quick ,lasting a few seconds and then the male is off to the next mate. Dolphins are clearly polygamous! There is much going on under the water but you can clearly tell what’s happening above the water if you wait and watch for the signs. Wait and watch.
As the males reach sexual maturity, the small alliances of 2-3 males will join forces with other small alliances to form up to 14 members who help each other find females to herd and mate with. They may even steal females from other male alliances. As well, if other alliances try to steal your females, the other males on your team will come in and help you. But females will also join in to protect other females and their young!
Male dolphins use physical displays to attract the attention of females. They can be seen exhibiting behavior such as the “rooster strut” where male bottlenose dolphins arch their head and bob up and down above the surface near a female. I saw multiple males posturing this behavior yesterday.
Females tend to reach sexual maturity at age 5 to 11, and males at age 7 to 14. Bottlenose dolphins can live up to 60 years in the wild.
After observing the dolphin behavior on my tour, several swam up to my boat. They clearly wanted to ride in the wake. I am very vigilant not to be aggressive with my dolphin friends. I prefer to educate. When they engage me, I provide a nice wake that provides fun, exfoliation and a free ride.
Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating on our local waters. As a professional charter captain, she specializes in dolphin and nature tours. Visit CaptainCathy.com or call /text 239 994-2572. Welcome aboard!