Marine Species in Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth
Below are a list of marine species in Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth. View Raggy Charters' Sea Cruise Packages to increase your chances of experiencing close encounters and sightings with these magnificent species.
Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa Plumbea)Although not many people notice these shy dolphins in Algoa Bay, they are often around if you know where to look. It was only recognised as a separate species in 2014. The Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin is known scientifically as Sousa plumbea. It's d...
Minke WhalesAntarctic Minke Whale, Balaenoptera bonaerensis and Dwarf Minke Whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata subs x
Antarctic Minke Whale, Balaenoptera bonaerensis
This whale differs from the Dwarf in the following ways;
Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis)The Southern Right Whales got their name from being the ‘right’ whale to hunt as they are slow moving, swim close to the shore, float when dead, and produce large quantities of oil, whalebone, meat and baleen. They also seem to be very inqui...
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeanglia)The name humpback was derived from the way they arch their backs prior to a deep dive. This whale was ruthlessly hunted in the past which led to a population decrease of 90%. They were considered endangered by 1966, but have steadily recovered, reach...
Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni)Bryde’s whales were named after the Norwegian Consul to South Africa, Johan Bryde, who helped set up the first whaling station at Durban, in 1908. Fortunately, their stocks were not exploited as badly as other large whales, giving them a current wo...
Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus)Bottlenose dolphins got their name from having distinctly bottle-shaped beaks. Scientists have recently discovered that this genus has three different species: the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (T...
Common Dolphin (Delphinus capensis)Common Dolphins are the most widespread and abundant of all the dolphin species, and were the most frequently represented in the art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, hence the name. Scientists have recently discovered the possibility of thr...
African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)The African Penguin, also known as the Jackass Penguin for its donkey-like braying, was ruthlessly exploited by humans in the 20th century leading to a 90% decrease in their population. Guano scraping occurred for nearly 150 years when 200,000 tonnes...
Cape Gannet (Morus capensis)The Cape Gannet is a large seabird of the gannet family, ranging from Southern Namibia to the East coast of South Africa. Although the current population size is suggested to be at least 246,000, these birds are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red L...
Other Pelagic Bird Species in Algoa Bay, Port ElizabethPort Elizabeth is spoilt for choice when it comes to the number of Pelagic Bird species that occupy Algoa Bay. These birds are often seen while on boat cruises with Raggy Charters.
SealsTogether with their Australian cousins, the South African Fur Seals are the largest fur seals around. Unlike other fur seals their teeth are cusped behind the canines. They have small external ears which have evolved to keep out water. Their hind fli...
