Dolphin Swimming

Puerto Aventuras, Mexico

// December 7th, 2009 // View Comments // Locations, Riviera Maya

Puerto Aventuras, one of Dolphin Discovery’s favourite homes, is a resort community located in the Riviera Maya south of Playa del Carmen and north of Tulum.  Known affectionately as “Puerto”, this little hideaway is a community unto itself, with condos, beach-front villas, luxury resorts, restaurants, banks, pharmacies and a grocery store,  just steps from a beautiful stretch of the white sands famous in the Mexican Caribbean.  One of the most unique aspects of Puerto Aventuras is the full service marina, the only marina between Cancun and Belize capable of accomodating just about any size yacht or boat.  The marina is conveniently located near the golf and tennis courts as well as the Dolphin Discovery facility.  History buffs should definitely pay a visit to the CEDAM museum which offers a collection of artifacts from the famous ship wreck of the Matancero and archaeological pieces from the region.  Staying in Puerto Aventuras puts you right in the midst of all the action in the Riviera Maya, close to the eco-parks of Xelha and Xcaret, the ruins of Tulum and adventures exploring caverns and cenotes like Aktunchen.  Puerto Aventuras has it all, with fine dining, spa services, dive shops, boutiques, deep sea fishing, just about anything your heart desires can be found in this safe and beautiful destination.

Dolphin Discovery Riviera Maya is pleased to be the center of attention in Puerto Aventuras. The calm lagoon enclosure just off the Caribbean Sea ensures a natural environment for your encounter with the dolphins.  The dolphins have some friends with them too, in our Sea Life Discovery Plus program we invite you to interact with manatees and sea lions in addition to your experience of a lifetime with the dolphins!  Family fun and a day you will never forget await you in Puerto Aventuras, come on down and play with us!

Baby manatee has been rescued and was transferred to Dolphin Discovery location

// June 4th, 2009 // View Comments // Locations, News, Riviera Maya

Last Thursday May 28th a baby manatee was found stranded at the Chabihaú marsh of Yucatan. The governor of the area was amazed by this unprecedented fact and called Profepa (Environmental Protection Ministry, as in Spanish) authorities to act immediately and save the creature from dying of starvation.

To examine baby manatee, Doctor Roberto Sánchez Okrucky was contacted immediately. He is Dolphin Discovery Veterinarians Manager, with 20 years of experience handling manatees and other marine mammals. Is well known that Dolphin Discovery is the world leader on handling and protecting these species, and besides having a wide experience on this kind of situations, we must remember that they saved and trained Daniel, the manatee.

Dr. Sánchez nursed baby manatee and he stated that the calf is perfectly healthy being a male of 1 meter long, 10 kg weight and 72 days old at the moment of the rescue.

The experts’ arrival was well seen by authorities, entrusting baby manatee’s custody and protection to Dolphin Discovery. Furthermore, the calf was transferred to the location of the company at Puerto Aventuras, Riviera Maya, where a family of 5 manatees welcomed him and one of the females adopted him as her very own.

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