Dolphin Swimming

Sea Lion Facts

// July 19th, 2010 // View Comments // Cancun / Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Sea Life, Vallarta

Everyone loves sea lions, aside from being so handsome, they seem to have a great sense of humour, always making us laugh.  So, what do you know about sea lions?  Let’s have a look at some facts….

–Sea lions are found all over the world, from the Arctic to New Zealand, usually found along rocky coasts where there are rich food sources such as sardines, herring, capelin and squid.

–Sea lions can be distinguished from seals by their visible external ear flaps.

–Sea lions are “pinnipeds’, meaning they have “winged feet”.

–Sea lions are amphibious, they live on both land and water.

–Sea lions are “marine mammals”, meaning they do not lay eggs but do in fact carry and give birth to their young.  Males are “bulls”, females are “cows” and babies are called “pups”.

–Sea lions have a lifespan of 10-15 years in the wild, but in a healthy zoological environment can live 25-35 years.

–Sea lion mamas gestate for 10-12 months.  Their pups are born on land and will nurse from their mother from 4-12 months.

–Sea lions are warm blooded, covered in a layer of fat to protect them from cold temperatures.

–Sea lions breathe air, but can remain under water for up to 40 minutes if hunting for food, accomplished by squeezing their nostrils shut tight.

–Sea lions are very communal, usually living in large colonies of up to 1000, with smaller communities appearing within the group.

–Sea lions aren’t lazy, but they sure do love to hang around on the rocks and bask in the sun.

–Sea lions are intelligent and easy to train, the military has been training them for years for rescue operations in the sea.

–The biggest dangers to sea lions are fishermen, pollution and climate change.  Their predators are killer whales and sharks, though they can swim faster than both they can be taken by surprise.

Dolphin Discovery invites you to get up close and personal with these sweet creatures, our sea lion friends can be found in the following destinations:

Sea Lions Isla Mujeres

Sea Lions Cozumel

Sea Lions Riviera Maya

Sea Lions Puerto Vallarta

Get a hug, a fishy kiss and you will most definitely walk away smiling from your Sea Lion Encounter with Dolphin Discovery!

Please remember to keep our oceans and beaches clean, plastic bags, six-pack rings, garbage of all kinds is very damaging to the sea lions and their environment.  Do what you can to protect our precious marine life, go for a walk on the beach and pick up trash, educate your children, spread the word that if we each do our small part, all earth’s creatures will have a brighter future.

Boatswain’s Turtle Farm Grand Cayman Island

// June 23rd, 2010 // View Comments // Grand Cayman, Locations, Sea Life

Grand Cayman Island is famous for many things, the beautiful stretch of Seven Mile beach, great scuba diving, snorkeling at Stingray City, swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Discovery (of course!), rum cakes and Boatswain’s Turtle Farm.  The history of the Cayman Islands is closely tied to turtles, the turtle appears on the flag, seal and currency of the islands.  The relationship with the Caymans and turtles goes back to the 1600’s when Caribbean ships would stop at the island for provisions and to stock up on the abundance of turtle meat.  The 17th century saw the beginnings of settlements in the Cayman Islands and turtling became a a main source of income and food for the new islanders.  By the 1800’s, the population of turtles was in serious jeopardy and by the 1960’s they were all but extinct.  In 1968 the Cayman Turtle Farm was established to raise turtles commercially and to research and preserve the sea turtles of the wild. While many of the turtles are still raised for food, thousands of sea turtles born at Boatswain’s are released to the sea, replenishing the wild population of these beautiful creatures.

Dolphin Discovery Grand Cayman is pleased to have such a wonderful neighbour in West Bay and we invite you to pay them a visit before or after you swim with dolphins.  The entrance fee to Boatswain’s Turtle Farm is included in all dolphin swim programs, allowing you to enjoy the turtle enclosures, the education center, the breeding pond, the touch tanks and all animal exhibits including the predator tank with sharks! If you wish to snorkel or enjoy the pools, these “wet” activities are available at a small extra charge.  Boutiques and restaurants will satisfy your shopping and dining needs, purchase souvenirs for loved ones back home or simply sip an ice cold rum drink in paradise while nibbbling a Caribbean delicacy. Dolphin Discovery and Boatswain’s Turtle Farm are the ideal combination for a perfect day on Grand Cayman, a unique shore excursion for Caribbean cruisers, book now and make it an unforgettable part of your Caribbean vacation!

Happy Birthday to Robert the Baby Manatee!

// June 3rd, 2010 // View Comments // Locations, News, Riviera Maya, Sea Life

May 30th, 2009, Dolphin Discovery received a call from Ecosur to come to the assistance of a baby manatee discovered alone in a river in the state of Yucatan.  He was only one or two days old and had been abandoned by his mother, without help there was no way he was going to survive.  A team of veterinarians and marine biologists from Dolphin Discovery hurried to rescue this sweet creature and brought him to the facilities in Puerto Aventuras in a critical state.  He was dubbed “Tuuch”, the Mayan word for “belly button” as his umbilical cord was still attached.

Tuuch was introduced to Julieta in Puerto Aventuras, a mature female manatee who was still nursing her one year old baby.  Despite efforts to get Tuuch to nurse, Julieta could not produce enough milk and the team had to resort to bottle feeding the baby manatee to provide him the nutrients he so desperately needed.  Over the next few months, the veterinary team monitored Tuuch, treating digestive issues and continuing with the bottle feeding.  Despite his failure to grow over the first two months, the team did not give up, they gave him the highest levels of medical care, nutrition, stimulation and love, working with him 24 hours a day.  He learned to socialize with the other manatees who accepted him into their little family and he learned how to play, he loves his toys!  By September, he began eating lettuce and vegetables and a whole new world opened to this beautiful little guy.  In January of 2010, he was able to permanently join the other manatees in their lagoon in Puerto Aventuras and he continued to improve and thrive.  In February he was renamed “Robert” after head veterinarian Dr. Roberto Sanchez.

In November the Dolphin Discovery “Team Tuuch” was honoured by IMATA, receiving awards and recognition for their team work and conservation efforts with their rescued manatee.  All of us at Dolphin Discovery are proud of the team, we are grateful for their expertise and tireless dedication in the rehabilitation of Robert.

One year later and Robert is doing great!  He’s participating in encounters with our guests, eating well and continuing to grow.  This week Dolphin Discovery threw a little party for Robert, bringing him a cake of lettuce and fruit, singing “Happy Birthday” and inviting local school children to join in the festivities.  Local artist Allan Vazquez created a beautiful portrait of Robert and invited the children to add their handprints for posterity.  We wish Robert a very happy birthday and many, many more!

Join us in Puerto Aventuras for our Sea Life Circle Manatee program and you can get a kiss from our dear Robert!  Enjoy some time swimming with him, giving him a hug and share a little lettuce with him.  He will welcome you with open flippers!

Please take a moment to enjoy this video dedicated to Tuuch/Robert, it’s a moving journey of love, dedication and hope….

Stingray Facts

// May 13th, 2010 // View Comments // Cancun / Isla Mujeres, Grand Cayman, Locations, Sea Life

Stingrays are fascinating creatures, as they float and fly through the oceans they appear almost bird-like in their motions.  We at Dolphin Discovery love all marine animals and would like to share a few fun stingray facts with you…..

- Stingrays are found in shallow waters in warm climates

- There are about 70 species of stingrays in the world

- There is no evidence of evolution in stingrays, ancient fossilized remains appear to be identical to the stingray of today

- Stingrays can live in salt water or brackish waters (where salt water and fresh water meet)

- Stingrays are related to sharks (some folks call them “flattened sharks”), unfortunately while sharks may be family, they are also the biggest predators of stingrays

-Stingrays often take on the colour of their environment for defense

- Stingrays spend a lot of time motionless, partially buried under sand

- Stingrays are usually docile and harmless, though they will use their barbed tails in defense (usually if they are stepped on)

- Stingray venom was used as an anaesthetic in ancient Greece

- Stingrays may be as small as a few inches or up to 5 to 7 feet long

- Stingrays have no bones, they are primarily made of cartilage

- Stingrays are carnivores, hunting their prey (small fish, crabs, shrimp) at night

- Stingrays use their sense of smell and special electro-receptors to hunt their prey

- Stingray mamas give birth to two to ten stingray “pups” per year

- Stingrays have a lifespan of 15 to 25 years

Dolphin Discovery is thrilled to offer our guests the opportunity to interact with these beautiful marine creatures.  Participants in the Grand Cayman Royal Swim receive a bonus swim with stingray experience, where you’ll be invited to stroke and hold the stingrays and our trainers will teach you everything you want to know about them.  Guests in our Cancun-Isla Mujeres dolphinarium have the chance to snorkel in the sea with stingrays, a phenomenal experience!  We hope you learn to love stingrays as much as we do, join us at Dolphin Discovery!

–Stingray photo courtesy Barry Peters

New Programs! Swim with dolphins, manatees and sea lions in the Riviera Maya

// April 12th, 2010 // View Comments // Locations, Riviera Maya, Sea Life

At Dolphin Discovery we love all the creatures of the sea, not just dolphins!  We are excited to be able to share these magical creatures with you, our guests, you’ll learn about marine animals and enjoy some special moments with some very different friends from the sea .  For those of you looking for a new experience and to learn something new, we’ve created the Sea Life Circle programs in the Riviera Maya.

Sea Lion Hug Puerto Aventuras

Sea Life Circle Sea Lions brings you up close and personal with the fabulous, funny jokers of the sea.  You’ll be able to touch and kiss the sea lions and they’ll make you laugh until your sides hurt with their crazy antics.  Sea Life Circle also includes the most popular dolphin swim at Dolphin Discovery, the adrenaline-filled Dolphin Royal Swim.  In addition, you’ll be able to visit the underwater world as you snorkel with stingrays, a complete package of marine animal fun!

Sea Life Circle Manatees includes the Dolphin Royal Swim, snorkeling with stingrays and the opportunity to swim with the gentle giants of the sea, the manatees.  Manatees, often known as sea cows are huge herbivores and you’ll be invited to feed them, swim with them and stroke the animals that sailors often mistook for mermaids. Learn something new and make a new friend!

Dolphin Discovery is thrilled to be able to give you the chance not only to have an exciting adventure, but to learn something new and create awareness of our marine animal friends.  Visit our location in Puerto Aventuras to meet the dolphins, sea lions, manatees and stingrays and have the experience of a lifetime!

All About Manatees

// April 28th, 2009 // View Comments // Cancun / Isla Mujeres, Riviera Maya, Sea Life

Feed manatees at Puerto Aventuras, México

Manatees are part of Sirenia (meaning “mermaid”) family formed by these marine mammals that are mainly identified for being vegetarians with a diet of 60 different types of plants as waterweed and mangle leafs. The word “manatee”, of Latin origins means “with breasts”, that comes from the action of breastfeeding their calves.

There are three main types of manatees: the West Indian Manatee that lives in the shallow waters of rivers and coasts of the Caribbean Sea and Mexican Golf, the Amazonian Manatee that lives in the Amazon, and finally the West African Manatee that lives in the coastal waters of America and Africa.

They are 3 to 4.5 meters long, and 300-500 kg. They have a trowel shaped tail (different from dugongs), two pectoral fins with nails, a big body, a gray-brownish skin; they breath through nostrils as the seals, and have some funny whiskers on their snout.

Females can have one calf every 2 or 5 years, which weights about 35 kg. and is 90-120 cm long. Mothers breastfeed their babies at least for 2 years until they are strong enough to grind and find their own food. 4-year old manatees are considered adults and they live up to 80 years.

Swim with Manatees!

You can enjoy this amazing activity in the Sea Life Discovery Plus Program in Dolphin Discovery Cancún-Isla Mujeres and Dolphin Discovery Riviera Maya

All about Sea Lions

// April 23rd, 2009 // View Comments // Sea Life

Sea Lion in Puerto Aventuras, Cancún México

The sea lions are part of the pinnipeds family, carnivourous mammals adapted to sea life. They live in the South American coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They are divided into three families, the Otariinae (sea lions and fur seals), Phocidae (earless seals) and Odobenidae (walruses).

Their diet consists of fish, squid, penguin and other marine birds. In the circle of life, they are part of the killer whale and shark diet. They eat between 15 and 25 kgs of food per day. Males can weight up to 300 kg (double than females) and can be up to 2.5 meters long. They live in groups of 15, normally formed by one male and its harem.

Young males are black and adults are dark brownish with a red-fur layer on their neck giving them their name of “lion”.

The three main differences between sea lions and seals are:

· Sea lions have external ears, seals have only fur-covered internal ears behind their snout.

· Sea lions have nails on their back fins to scratch themselves, seals don’t have any.

· Sea lions stand on their back fins to walk, seals crawl or roll.

Swim with Sea Lions!

You can enjoy this amazing activity in the Sea Life Discovery Plus Program in Dolphin Discovery Cancún-Isla Mujeres and Dolphin Discovery Riviera Maya; and in the Sea Lion Discovery Program in Sea Life Park Vallarta.