Dolphins
of Ponta
We are the Local Dolphins of Ponta! An inshore species that live in the coastal shallows of the Lubumbo Transfrontier Conservation Area that links South Africa, Mozambique & Swaziland.
We frequently cross between Mozambique's southern most marine protected area and the iSimangaliso World Heritage Site and travel as far down south to Sodwana Bay!
Some of us are resident, in that we are sighted over all the seasons, over a number of years. while the transients visit occasionally.
​
people of the sea
We are Tursiops aduncus - commonly known as the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin. Our inshore cousin Herme is of the Humpback Dolphin tribe - Sousa plumbea... In 1996 we had our first media debuts on TV and in print and by 1997 a citizen science project was developed to collect baseline data and imagery on us!
Nearly three decades later 255 of us have been catalogued and thanks to the care of local operators, partners and visitors, protective measures have been put in place to protect our kind and our home.
When visiting the Marine Reserve please take a moment to familiarise yourself with our cetacean family, where we occur and what to do if in the event you encounter us at sea and remember in our Park, we are protected, which means no-one is permitted to swim with us, unless on a permitted dolphin concession boat.
​
Meet some of the Ladies
Bo
First record: 1999
Known offspring: 6
Age class: Adult ±30
Something special: First dolphin to initiate a circle swim with Angie in the March of 1999. Her name is short for bottle opener! She is the mother of Rocha, -Bella, -Blu, Bojangles and her current unnamed babe.
Rocha
First record: 2004
Known offspring: 2
Age Class: Adult ±18
Something special: Rocha is Bo's first offspring and is just as sociable as mum. She is the mother to Ripple and Rona making Bo and grandmother.
​
Gilly
First record: 2003
Known offspring: 6
Age class: Adult ± 27
Something special: Gilly received her name due to three rake marks that resembled gills. She is the mother of Gulliver, -Gypsy, Gandalf, Gulliver, Gambit and her current unnamed babe.
Gulliver
First record: 2007
Known offspring: 2
Age class: Adult ±15
Something special: Gulliver is the first offspring of Gilly. During the first week of life she was bitten by a shark - but lived to tell the tale. She is the mother of Ginger and has reciently calved again.
Sabby
First record: 2006
Known offspring:: Unknown
Age class: Adult
Something special: She is the mother of SheShy
​
​
Sheshy
First record: 2009
Known offspring: 1
Age class: Adult ±15
Something special: Sheshy is super sociable, a first time mum and recently went through a fin change! She is the mother of Shira.
Freya
First record: 2006
Known offspring: 4
Age class: Adult
Something special: Freya is one of our resident females and is seen often in the coastal shallows of the MRP.
​
​
Silva
First record: 2009
Known offspring: 1
Age Class: Adult ±17
Something special: Silva not only has a fairly distinctive dorsal fin, but also a large scar that runs along her bottom jaw-line.
​
​
Adot
First record: 2009
Known offspring: 4
Age class: Adult ± 19
Something special: Adot is a regular in the Park and is often seen in the company of local ladies Bo, Tatti & Freya.
​
​
Meet some of the Men
Rob
First record: 1997
Known associated: Tik and Dylan
Age class: Adult
Something special: Rob was the first dolphin to be catalogued, he has large white patches on his one side.
​
​
Tik
First record: 2000
Known associated: Rob and Dylan
Age class: Adult
Something special: 99% of the time is is in the compnay of Rob and Dylan!
​
​
Dylan
First record: 2009
Known associated: Tik and Rob
Age class: Adult
Something special: 99% of the time he is in the company of Rob and Tik!
​
​
Elvis
First record: 2010
Known associated: Theo & Snap
Age class: Adult
Something special: Elvis is part of the Theo and Fye gang, however over recent years Elvis has been seen cruising with Theo and Snap - with Fye nowhere to be seen!
​
​
Theo
First record: 2011
Known associated: Snap & Elvis
Age class: Adult
Something special: Like Elvis, Theo went through a major fin change! It didn't take long to match him though due to his sociable and sometimes cheeky character!
​
​
Snap
First record: 2011
Known associated:Elvis & Theo
Age class: Adult
Something special: Snap in the past has made a point of jaw clapping and snapping at humans in the water - hence his name!
​
​
Gandalf
First record: 2012
Known associated: Pluto
Age class: Sub-Adult ±10
Something special: Gandalf is the first son of Gilly & is unique in that he has rather square pectorals and a stalked barnicle growth on his rostrum!
​
​
Gambit
First record: 2015
Known associated: Freddy
Age class: Sub-Adult ±7
Something special: Gambit is ALSO the son of Gilly.
​
​
Freddy
First record: 2015
Known associated:Gambit
Age class: Sub-Adult ±7
Something special: Freddy is the offspring of mature female Freya. He is super sociable and often seen in the company of Gambit!
​
​
Photo ID
Project
