RED SEA DOLPHINS – FAQ
To book an excursion to “Dolphin House” email steven@marsaalam.com or contact him via WhatsApp- +201284332337
Marsa Alam has two of the most important dolphin habitats in the Red Sea and the world – Samadai and Sataya reefs, both providing a home to large families of spinner dolphins. For more information on Samadai and Sataya Reefs please see our Dolphin House page.
On this page I want to answer a few questions about Red Sea dolphins alongside some video clips.
CAN I SWIM WITH DOLPHINS ?
Yes, you have a good chance of being able to swim with dolphins. Please see information about swimming with dolphins at Sataya Reef near the bottom of this page.
WHAT SPECIES OF DOLPHIN ARE COMMON TO THE RED SEA ?
Eight species in total. Seven species have been resident for a long time – the Bottlenose Dolphin, Bryde’s Whale, Indopacific Bottlenose Dolphin, Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, Longbeaked Common Dolphin, Risso’s Dolphin and the Spinner Dolphin. Recently Humpback Dolphins, who’s normal habitat is the east coast of Africa, have also been seen in the Red Sea as far north as El Gouna, some 280 km north of Marsa Alam.
WHICH OF THOSE AM I MOST LIKELY TO SEE ?
Probably one of these three species – the Bottlenose Dolphin, the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin or the Spinner Dolphin.
Jul 2019 – 11.37 mins – 44+ likes – 3,500+ views.
IS IT TRUE THAT DOLPHINS SOMETIMES PROTECT SWIMMERS FROM SHARKS ?
Yes, and there has been at least one instance in the Red Sea off Sinai. In July 1996, a 29 year old diver was badly bitten in the left shoulder, stomach and back but then dolphins intervened circling him and flapping their fins and tails and scared off the shark. This event was witnessed by several other divers. The victim survived but had to spend a week in hospital.
DO RED SEA DOLPHINS GET COLD IN WINTER ?
No. The sea temperature does drop a little from 29 degrees in August to 22 degrees in February but the insulating fat tissue of dolphins becomes thicker in the winter months.
Dec 2017 – 3.28 mins – 64+ likes – 9,800+ views
ARE DOLPHINS FISH ?
No, dolphins are mammals and need to surface to breath oxygen.
HOW LONG CAN THEY STAY UNDER WATER ?
Bottlenose dolphins are usually able to stay underwater without surfacing for about 20 minutes and spinner dolphins for about 15 to 17 minutes.
HOW LONG DO DOLPHINS LIVE ?
It depends on the species but bottlenose dolphins have an average life expectancy of around 33 years and spinner dolphins about 26 years.
HOW FAST CAN DOLPHINS SWIM ?
They can swim at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour.
Mar 2019 – 7.45 mins – 511+ likes – 29,000+ views.
HOW HIGH CAN DOLPHINS JUMP ?
Some species of dolphin can leap up to five metres (16 feet) out of the water.
HOW INTELLIGENT ARE DOLPHINS ?
Highly. They live in closely knit social groups called “pods”. They are one of the world’s most intelligent animals but it is difficult to compare their intelligence against animals with very different types of senses and abilities. Some dolphins species are known to use tools. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins sometimes cover their snouts with sponges while foraging for food.
The dolphin brain is actually much larger than the human brain. In fact by 18 months the brain lobe of the Bottlenose Dolphin is already 80% of the brain mass of the adult human. Sadly, because of their intelligence, dolphins were used by the U.S. navy mine retrieval and used for military operations in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf.
Mar 2015 – 16.51 mins – 8.4K+ likes – 730,000+ views.
ARE DOLPHINS ALWAYS HETEROSEXUAL ?
No, there are many examples of dolphins having homosexual sex and even sex with dolphins of other species and animals, including occasional sexual interest in humans.
DO DOLPHINS HAVE A SENSE OF SMELL ?
No, dolphins can’t smell but they do have excellent taste senses.
ARE DOLPHINS EVER ATTACKED BY SHARKS ?
Only occasionally and then usually only by the largest most aggressive sharks. Dolphins in a pod will defend each other from attack so usually sharks search out easier prey.
Nov 2018 – 6.01 mins – 756+ likes – 48,000+ views.
WHAT DO DOLPHINS EAT ?
A variety of fish, squid and octopus. They seem to make do with whatever is the most abundant species available to them and so consequently their diet varies according to location and the season.
They do most of their feeding soon after dawn or shortly before sunset. Bottlenose dolphins eat between 8 and 15 kg of fish a day. Dolphins hunt for fish collectively in a pod using various tactics including “coralling” where the fish are chased into shallow water where they are easier to catch. They can also use echolocation, a clicking sound they omit which produces a return echo when it hits any object, to determine the location of nearby fish shoals.
Mar 2016 – 2.44 mins – 1.8K+ likes – 330,000+ views
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO DOLPHINS ?
Humans. It is estimated that in the last fifty years perhaps as many as 30 million dolphins have been caught unintentionally in fishing nets. Once snared they are unable to surface to breath.
Environmental pollution and over fishing has also reduced the fish population which dolphins depend on for their survival.
Dolphins are also hunted because of their food value. In Japan the value of some species of dolphin meat can be as high as $50 a kilo. Other fishermen hunt dolphins simply because they don’t want dolphins to eat fish which might reduce their own catch and profits.
Mar 2019 – 2.09 mins – 425+ likes – 14,400+ views.
DO DOLPHINS EVER ATTACK HUMANS ?
Extremely rarely. Much less likely than a shark attack which is itself extremely unlikely. They are normally friendly and interact well with humans but when they seem disinclined to play or interact, you should not try to swim after them and don’t try to touch them. I don’t know of any instances of attacks in the Red Sea although there have been a very small number recorded elsewhere in the world including that of a man attacked by a bottlenose dolphin off the coast of Brazil in 1994.
On the other hand there are a number of accounts of dolphins rescuing people from drowning and from shark attacks.
Feb 2019 – 12.08 mins – 3.3K+ likes – 238,000+ views.
CAN I SWIM WITH DOLPHINS ?
YES !
Get close to one of the world’s most intelligent and playful creatures. We highly recommend a day trip to the famous Sataya Reef – one of the great wonders of the natural world where a large group of spinner dolphins have made this particular reef their home.
Local expert Steven organizes a day trip to Sataya Reef from just 66 euros (£59) per person including return transfers from your hotel, lunch, soft drinks, water and snorkeling equipment as well as the boat and all the necessary license fees and your snorkeling guide. The time of pick up varies from each hotel but is generally around 5 am and you will be dropped back at about 5 pm.
There will be plenty of time at the reef itself and you will not find the trip at all rushed. More than enough time to go snorkeling twice and take home some amazing memories. You will also be able to enjoy a lunch break while at the reef.
Please note that the 55 euro package price applies to anyone staying at hotels within 60 km of Marsa Alam, including all hotels in and between Port Ghalib and Marsa Alam, however sometimes a small surcharge might apply to hotels which are in distant or remote locations.
To book this trip email steven@marsaalam.com or contact him via WhatsApp on +201284332337. More background information is also given on the Dolphin House page.
Feb 2019 – 2.43 mins – 37+ likes – 4,800+ views
Dec 2019 – 1.46 mins – 2,300+ views.