Hidden giants of the Caribbean Sea...Dominica
Some of the loudest and largest predators in the world are living just 525 kilometres (bird's fly) off the coast of T&T and most citizens have never ventured to see them although the opportunity exists.
The predators are sperm whales which grow up to 70 feet long and weigh about 60 tonnes. They live just three miles off the coast of Dominica, one of the most untouched islands of the Caribbean.
While male whales (bull) migrate from the area, mainly juveniles and females have become resident whales of Dominica. Their magnificent presence makes the mountainous island the only country in the world where the whales can be sighted year round.
During a tour of Dominica earlier this month, Guardian Media got the chance to see a pod of whales as they lounged in the deep blue waters on Dominica's western coasts.
The ocean floor in this region drops steeply to several thousand feet very close to shore and this provides a calm and sheltered area for the whales to feed, mate, and socialise. Having been studied extensively for over 12 years, the whale pod is very friendly and some daring divers (not us) have been given the opportunity to swim with them. During socialising sessions when the whales rub on each other, the divers get the unique experience of getting up close and personal with the sea mammals which have the biggest brains in the world.
The predators are sperm whales which grow up to 70 feet long and weigh about 60 tonnes. They live just three miles off the coast of Dominica, one of the most untouched islands of the Caribbean.
While male whales (bull) migrate from the area, mainly juveniles and females have become resident whales of Dominica. Their magnificent presence makes the mountainous island the only country in the world where the whales can be sighted year round.
During a tour of Dominica earlier this month, Guardian Media got the chance to see a pod of whales as they lounged in the deep blue waters on Dominica's western coasts.
The ocean floor in this region drops steeply to several thousand feet very close to shore and this provides a calm and sheltered area for the whales to feed, mate, and socialise. Having been studied extensively for over 12 years, the whale pod is very friendly and some daring divers (not us) have been given the opportunity to swim with them. During socialising sessions when the whales rub on each other, the divers get the unique experience of getting up close and personal with the sea mammals which have the biggest brains in the world.
Link Text
