Costa Rica Pacific Dolphin Superpods.
A superpod of dolphins could also be called a megapod of dolphins, a dolphin festival, or a dolphin party.
Far offshore of Drake Bay, Corcovado National Park and Caņo Island Biological Reserve, in unprotected waters, dolphins gather by the thousands. Not just one or two species. Not just three or four. Or even five or six. Seven. Yes seven, 7, species of dolphins gather here in superpods that defy the imagination of those who have not seen it.
Many people think that dolphins form superpods when fish become concentrated on one place. This is secondary to the real purpose of superpods. Any party needs food. When you watch underwater what these superpods of dolphins are spending most of their time doing then you see the real reason a superpod of dolphins forms.
The dolphins are doing it to do it. A superpod seems to be a big party for courting and mating. Lots of dancing and athletic prowess. Plenty of witty conversation and feasting. Probably a lot of assessment of potential mates going on, because a lot of mating happens when dolphins superpod. All this probably prevents genetic bottlenecks within isolated groups, otherwise how would they find new dolphins they are not related to? Seems like all big brained, long lived, slowly reproducing mammals seem to make superpods of one sort or another. Elephants, the Great Apes, the Great Seals, and Cetaceans.
And of course, humans. Did you ever read about ancient fertility and harvest festivals? Try Shakespeare for a good description of human superpods. These temporary gatherings of isolated and dispersed human groups were no doubt our version of superpods. Harvest moon festivals were just another way to say "Superpod!"
That area near where you live where people are known to inbreed and produce genetic defects may be the lasting results of mono religions co opting the real reason for the tribal festivals. Modern communications, transportation, and cities remove the need for humans to form traditional superpods today. But you might have noticed humans still like to party.
Anyway, again, here in Osa Costa Rica we see seven species of dolphin superpods.
Say them out loud with me- Spinner Dolphin, Spotted Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Risso´s Dolphin, Rough Toothed Dolphin, Common Dolphin, and Pilot Whales. Pilot whales are big members of the dolphin family, Delphinidae, the oceanic dolphins.
And there are not many places in the world where you can see a superpod of even one kind of dolphin on any kind or regular basis. And most of the known ones to see just one species are kind of cold. Yes, Costa Rica is one of the best places in the world to find super pods of dolphins. Maybe the best in the world.
For now.
Sadly, we are killing the dolphins to catch tuna cheap.
The superpods are shrinking before our eyes.
Costa Rica's dolphins superpods have no protected place to gather.
Take a look below and see if you think dolphin megapods might be worth conserving with a offshore blue water pelagic park. Do not dolphins and whales have a right to have festivals?
