Tuesday 10 June 2014

Lemme know if you see the connection between these 2 pictures. The whole concept revolves around this 
connection for the Whale and Dolphin Research Center which is at Cape Recife Nature Reserve.

Sketch of Cape Recife.

Just thought I should share this amazing sketch of my site done by Barbara :)

I was right :)

RHEINZINK-Double Standing Seam

As regards the material zinc, the double standing seam is seen as a further development of the original hollow seam or the simple standing seam. First mentioned in the relevant literature in 1899, it is the preferred choice over other systems for roof pitches under 25°. The minimum pitch here is 3° (approx 5.2%). The term "double standing seam" characterises one of the classic longitudinal joint types used for panels installed next to each other forming a rain proof layer. On international markets it is the 25mm high double standing seam manufactured with pre-profiled panels that has established itself as market leader.   
 The profile is folded and closed manually or mechanically using handformers or seam closing tapered panel machines. Special shapes such as convex and concave curves or tapers can be produced without any problem. Traditional architecture or modern design will be enhanced by the elegant lines of the double standing seam thanks to its wide range of details.

The most intriguing part of the Project. The behaviour of the subject. (PT.2)

Behavior


Social Organization

  1. Bottlenose dolphins live in fluid social groups.
    • In the past, bottlenose dolphin groups have been referred to as pods-social groups of unchanging composition. More recently, long-term studies of bottlenose dolphins have now shown that their group composition changes.
    • Bottlenose dolphins commonly swim in groups of 2 to 15 individuals. Several groups may temporarily join (for several minutes or hours) in open ocean waters to form larger groups during which the dolphins may change associates.
    • In general, group size tends to increase with water depth and openness of habitat. This may correlate with foraging strategies and protection.
    • Some group members establish strong social bonds.
    • Bottlenose dolphins live in fluid social groups. Although some dolphins
      may repeatedly associate with one another, these associations
      are rarely permanent.
  2. In the wild, group composition and structure are based largely on age, sex, reproductive condition, family relationships, and association histories.
    • For example, the Sarasota, Florida resident dolphin community shows patterns of association. Basic group types include nursery groups (mothers and their most recent offspring), juveniles (both males and females), and adult males (alone or in pairs).
    • Mother-calf bonds are long-lasting; a calf typically stays with its mother three to six years.
    • A female may return to its mother or female relatives to raise its own calves, comprising a multigenerational group.
    • Adult male pair bonds are strong and long-lasting. Male pairs often engage in a number of cooperative behaviors. Researchers have documented 20-year pair bonds.
    • Associations between males and females are short-lived.
    • A calf typically stays with its mother three to six years or more.
  3. Social hierarchies exist within bottlenose dolphin groups.
    • Bottlenose dolphins establish and maintain dominance by biting, chasing, jawclapping, and smacking their tails on the water.
    • Dolphins often show aggression by raking-scratching one another with their teeth, leaving superficial lacerations that soon heal. Traces of light parallel stripes remain on the dolphin's skin. These marks have been seen in virtually all dolphin species. Dolphins also show aggression by emitting bubble clouds from their blowholes.

Daily Activity Cycles

  1. Bottlenose dolphins are active to some degree both day and night.
  2. Observations indicate that dolphins undergo daily cycles of activity, which include feeding, socializing, traveling, and resting.
  3. Social behavior comprises a major portion of bottlenose dolphins' daily activities.
  4. Feeding usually peaks in the early morning and late afternoon.
  5. Daily activity cycles are influenced by both environmental factors (habitat, time of year, time of day) and physiological factors.

Individual Behavior

  1. Dolphins frequently ride on the bow waves or the stern wakes of boats. This activity is probably adapted from the natural behavior of riding ocean swells, the wakes of large whales, or a mother dolphin's slip stream (hydrodynamic wake).
  2. Dolphins have been seen jumping as high as 4.9 m (16 ft.) from the surface of the water and landing on their backs, bellies, or sides in a behavior called a breach.
  3. Dolphins have been seen jumping as high as 4.9 m (16 ft.)
  4. Both young and old dolphins chase one another, carry objects around, toss seaweed to each other, and use objects to solicit interaction. Such activity may be practice for catching food.

Protection & Care

  1. Large adult males often roam the periphery of a group, and may afford some protection against predators.
  2. Researchers have observed scouting behavior in bottlenose dolphins. An individual may investigate novel objects or unfamiliar territories and "report" back to the group.
  3. Bottlenose dolphins may aid ill or injured dolphins. They may stand by and vocalize, or they may physically support the animal at the surface so it can breathe.

Interaction With Other Species

  1. Bottlenose dolphins have been seen with groups of toothed whales such as pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus), spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuate), and rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis).
  2. Bottlenose dolphins have been seen riding the pressure waves of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), and right whales (Eubalaena spp.).
  3. Researchers have observed bottlenose dolphins chasing and displacing other species of dolphins from prime bow-riding spots in waves.
  4. Dolphins respond to sharks with tolerance, avoidance, and aggression. Tiger sharks elicit the strongest responses from dolphins. Researchers have observed dolphins attacking, and sometimes killing, sharks in the wild.
  5. Some dolphins may approach divers, swimmers, or boaters.

The most intriguing part of the Project. The behaviour of the subject.

Whale Behaviour


There are a number of different behaviours you may witness during Whale Watching. This are described below.breachingBreaching

There are four types of breaching you will witness during a whale watching tour. A spinning head breach, chin breach, tail breach and lunge breach. This may be a form of solicitation, warning device or just a way of having fun.

lob tailingLob Tailing

Lob tailing is when the whale raises its tail or fluke out of the water and slams it down on to the surface. When witnessed, it is usually repetitive with the whale either lying on the surface flat out or head inclined in the water up to 180 degrees. They will either slam their fluke ventral or dorsal side down or switch back and forth without missing a beat.

fin slappingFin Slapping

Fin slapping is when the whale lies on its side, or its back and raises its pectoral fin out of the water, then slaps its fin on the surface repetitively. They may do this with one pectoral fin or utilize both pectoral fins.

dorasl finDorsal Fin

The dorsal fin is fleshy and consists of cartilage, blubber and skin. When the humpback comes to the surface and arches its back, the dorsal fin and caudal peduncle will appear to be a hump on the back of the whale.

pectoral finPectoral Fin

The pectoral fin is approximately 1/3 the body length of the humpback whale. Pectoral fins are believed to be used similar to stabilizers or rudders of a ship. They enable the whale to swim backwards and stop on a dime. These long pectoral fins are where humpbacks get their name Megaptera novaeangliae or big winged New Englander.

flukeingFlukes

The humpbacks fluke or tail fin is very broad and flat, ranging in size from 3-4.5m (10 to 15) feet wide and are capable of propelling the whale at over 12 knots for short periods of time. The flukes normally have a serrated edge and a deeply notch center called the median notch. The term fluking is when the whale raises its tail out of the water and descends beneath the surface.

blow holesBlow Holes/Blows

The blowholes are equipped with nasal plugs, which remain closed until forced open by respiratory contractions. Humpback whales are voluntary breathers where we are involuntary breathers. During inhalation a humpback will fill its lungs to capacity and when exhaling they will expel 90% of their air supply each breath. This blast of air will exit their blowholes at over 480km per hour. It is believed that humpback whales can hold their breath up to 40 minutes.

spy hoppingSpy Hopping

 spy hop is when the whale raises its head out of the water, typically straight up and down, looking to see what is around them. A spy hop is when the whale raises its head out of the water, typically straight up and down, looking to see what is around them. Traveling whales turn on their side, one eye out of the water, looking at you as they go by.

rowdy groupsRowdy Groups

A rowdy group or competitive group is when whales, typically males, compete for the position next to the female in estrous. Their whole purpose is to displace the current escort to the female, plying for that position in any way possible. This is what their entire season boils down to, securing their position next to a female and protecting that position from any challenging whale or whales in the area. If a challenger moves into the area, the escort will display surface postures to warn off all competitors and competitors will display surface postures to scare off escorts. A rowdy group can contain as few as three whales or as many as fifteen or more in a single session. They can last from a few minutes to hours at bursts of speed of up to twelve to thirteen knots at a time.