Pantropical Spotted Dolphin

GREAT news! The dolphin drive season in Taiji has ended about a whole month early, sadly, on one of the last days of the season, 98 Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (including calves) where butchered for their meat. In honor of those 98 souls that have made our world more empty, here I am writing about this wonderful dolphin.

Stenella Attenuata (without ornament, plain)
Status: Least Concern

The Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (PSD), as the name suggests, is found in all the world's temperate and tropical waters. They belong to the same Genus as Striped dolphins (please read earlier post to find out more on this species).

PSD's have darker dorsal sides that are splotched with various lighter spots. They have lighter, to white bellies that sometimes have black spots on it. Calves tend to be spot free and gain their spots as the mature. They have long, thin rostrums that have a white line around it that give the appearance of lips. The sides tend to be three shades of gray.

There are believed to be three main subspecies of PSD including: "A" = offshore/eastern pacific, "B" = Hawaiian islands, and "Graffmani" = coastal/Mexico and Peru.

The PSD is a very active dolphin that travels in groups usually consisting of around 30 individuals but may be as many as 100. They are known for their aerial leaps and bow riding in front of boats.

Some subspecies are found swimming with yellow fin tuna which, before the 80's, led to the killing of millions of individuals. Thanks to the enforcement of dolphin-safe tuna, the PSD is now considered on of the most abundant dolphin in the oceans. Protected under certain acts, this dolphin is still taken for captivity (although not much is determined if they actually do "well" or not) and during the annual drive hunts that take these animals for their meat. As with all species of dolphin, their meat is high in Mercury and is quite poisonous if consumed over periods of time.

Currently, two PSD's are being held in what is considered to be the world's smallest tank in the Taiji Whale Museum.

These two dolphins are often display "catatonic" behavior as they do not have enough room to exercise. They also do not see the light of day as this tank is indoors.

What can you do to help stop the drive hunts? 1) Do NOT buy a ticket to an aquarium that houses dolphins and whales (including SeaWorld). Although SeaWorld may not get their animals directly from these drive hunts, they are the "grand daddy" of aquariums and their success only encourages the capture of wild dolphins and whales for use in entertainment. 2) Make others aware of the plight of these two dolphins in the TWM. You can check out SaveJapanDolphins.org for further information.

As with all dolphins and whales, the PSD is an intelligent, self-aware animal. They care for their young the same way humans do. Pods consist of several generations of family members. They are fully aware of their surroundings and have unique whistles that state their "names" as they encounter other pods. Their brains also contain Spindle Cells which only humans and great apes also contain.

Please enjoy the video below of PSD's in the WILD!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F4L44rB3PI

Manta Ray

Manta Birostris (cloaked)
Status: VULNERABLE

Sometimes refered to as the "Devil Ray," the Manta is one of the more larger species of Rays. The largest was measured at about 25 ft. across and weighed around 2900 lbs. They are found throughout the worlds oceans but mostly in warmer, tropial waters near coral reefs.

Mantas are usually dark on the dorsal side and lighter underneath. The pectoral fins are a distinctive triangular shape and they have two lobes in front of their large mouths, which contain 18 rows of teeth. Like other rays, they have a tail but do NOT have a barb and have never posed a threat to humans.

Mantas are filter feeders and strain plankton and fish eggs with their mouths. They are graceful swimmers that appear to "fly" under the water. They swim in large, sweeping cirles to catch prey.

Mantas are sometimes known to leap completely out of the water. When I was in Hawaii, I saw what I thought at the time were two dolphins coming up at the same time, when I kept watching though, I realized it was not dolphins, but a manta ray leaping out of the water. What I thought were two dorsal fins poping up where actually the tips of the pectoral fins of the manta. Our tour guide of the Pacific Whale Foundation explained to us that this can be a rare sight and that they will usually only jump out a maximum of two times in one "sitting." I felt myself to be extremely lucky to get to witness this first hand. My husband got to see the second leap. Below is a picture of a leaping manta. Sadly, I did not take this picture but it does represent what I saw.

The manta's only natural predators are sharks and orca. Although it is strictly protected in international waters, it is still threatened due to fishing and use in Chinese medicine. Remember that you can help save the manta ray from it's "vulnerable" status by picking up your trash from the beach, recycling whenever possible, and picking up loose fishing lines. Also make sure your seafood comes from a reputable and responsible source.

FUN FACT: A Tampa, FL baseball team are called "The Rays" and have the manta as their mascott!