ID-help requested dolphin Chile
Hi all,
A pre-Corona-trip last year (March 2020) brought us to Central-Chile.
We did not see a lot of mammals, but did enjoyed the country and trip. Unfortunate we had to end our vacation prematurely due to COVID-pandemic.
From to coast of Puerto Montt we did some sea watching.
We saw both Dusky and Chilean Dolphins in some nice pods. We also saw a solo dolphin, slowly following the coastline. We were able to take 1 recordshot (see below). The dorsal fin doesn’t seem to really fit either of that species, although I have read that male Dusky’s have longer and more curved dorsal fins. The dorsal fin reminded me somehow to the photo of Jon of Peale’s Dolphin: https://www.mammalwatching.com/2018/12/04/chile-2009/
What do you think of this dolphin?
Thanks in advance.
Rick
4 Comments
-
corotauria
@ Alvaro: Thanks for your thoughts about my presumed Dusky’s; I made it Dusky’s because of the very pointed, bicolored dorsal fins, but I see Peale’s (can) have that too, so I have to correct that. Unfortunate no photo’s of that pod because they were to far off shore. Did get some decent shots of Chilean though. (By the way nice meeting you @ Km4 El Yeso back then… ;-))
@ Vladimir: No I am not sure at all it wasn’t a pilot whale. The photo shows as much as we saw off the animal (as I can remember anyway). Does not seem to fit Pilot Whale aswell, also – is it?
-
VLADIMIR DINETS
Well, it doesn’t really fit anything, but pilot whales typically have rounded dorsals vs. Pointed in dolphins.
-
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Alvaro Jaramillo
I would say it is unusual to see Dusky Dolphin from shore in Chile. They are usually at least a few miles offshore, and their distribution is on the whole more northern than Peale’s. The standard “Lag” from Puerto Montt to Tierra del Fuego that you see from shore is Peale’s Dolphin. It could be interesting if you have photos of Dusky Dolphin seen from shore in Puerto Montt.