Costa Cetacea

The Guyana Dolphins of Costa Rica´s Caribbean coast.

Most people of Caribbean, Talamanca, Costa Rica still call them Tucuxi Dolphins because until 2007 they were internationally  recognized as Tucuxi.  The Talamanca Caribe coast, part of Limon, Costa Rica, is the only place known in the world where Guyana Dolphins communicate with Bottlenose Dolphins with a common language.  This dolphin population is now  famous for interspecies communication and interactions.  DNA tests revealed that this dolphin, who appears to be the same as what South American Indians have long called Tucuxi, is really a seperate species.  There are now thought to be at least five species of Tucuxi, as was once thought over one hundred years ago.  Perhaps who ever gave them the new name Guyana Dolphins, forgot they live in other countries too. 

The Guyana dolphins are shy and timid, unless they are partying or fighting with bottlenose dolphins. They are probably Costa Rica´s smallest dolphin and they seem to swim mostly in the area of turbid, murky water that runs from the Sixaola River to Punta Mona on most days. They sometimes venture up the Sixaola River.

Unique to the world, here in Caribbean Costa Rica, Guyana dolphin interact with bottlenose dolphin in social and aggressive ways on a regular basis all year and have for many years. They even have a common sound and body language between them that we do not understand.  You have to see it to really begin to comprehend the complexity of what going on between these two Cetaceans. 

The area they swim expands greatly when the sea is rough and plenty rain and river runoff makes the whole coast brown water from to Nicaragua and Panama for many kilometers offshore.  When the times are dry they stay very close to the murky waters of the river mouth of the Sixaola. With patience and respect they can be seen most days of the year.

Costa Cetacea guides Shawn and Vanessa Larkin and Willie Burton, later along with The Talamanca Dolphin Foundation´s Anne Dibernadinis were the original group of researchers who discovered this population of dolphins, and that they were interspecies communicating, in the 90s.  Then Cetacean Guru, the good Dr. Paul Forestell, tried to whip the group into scientific shape.  Together, over several years, they then taught many local people and scientists how to find and spend time with these elusive animals and pioneered responsible dolphin ecotourism in Costa Rica by founding The Talamanca Dolphin Foundation with a dedicated group of dolphin lovers. Shawn was founding president of TDF.  The local dolphins are now world famous, a favorite among scientists, researchers, media and toursits, and are an important economic generator for Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. 

The story does not end there.  Today in October 2010, Costa Rica's Guyana dolphins need your help big time.

The small area where these dolphins are known to practice their common language is full of nets, including the protected waters of the Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge. There is no one making sure people play by the rules. On a recent day there were dozens of nets right in the only area where these dolphins are known to practice their common language. The Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge is being poached hardcore, much worse than ever before.

Costa Rica´s Talamanca Caribbean needs the sort of help the Pacific coast gets from Mar Viva, who patrol and stop poachers in protected areas. Help us make noise about this!!! So the children of Costa Rica can know these special dolphins in the future.

Yes it is true that the protected waters of the worlds only known dolphins proven to inter species communicate, are full of poachers nets!!! In Costa Rica!?!

Check out The Guyana Dolphins of Costa Rica together interacting with Bottlenose Dolphins below.