Dolphins and boat colour

[Ally S]

Since we got a black boat 18 months ago we dont seem to have had the same level of interactions with dolphins as we had previously, when we had brighter coloured boats.

I therefore got in touch with the WDCS to see if this could be down to the colour of our hull - some of you might be interested to see the response i got from them....good news, i must just keep meeting grumpy dolphins!


'There is no evidence for colour discrimination in dolphins. Though they possess cones in their eyes, which are the structures known to translate colours to the brain, they only have what are called green cones. Animals require at least 2 types of cones (humans and many terrestrial mammals have 3 types - blue, green, and red) to discriminate colour. The possession of only a single type of cone suggests functional colour blindness and so they probably can't distinguish between different zodiacs.'

Cheers

Alasdair

[jambo]

Don't worry Alasdair we have a yellow hull and tubes and I have'nt seen any this year in the Sound but others keep telling me of their sightings!!

J

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Ally S

different zodiacs.'

[SPR]

i have black RIB and White Hull and the dolphins come in play if they are about.

Good PDF can be found on the Marine code Website or [clicking here]

I also published a PDF that i got from WDCS can be downloaed from [Here]

[Bigmuz7]

I havent had the usual close encounters with them or any minke this year either with my always orange hulls, I'm fairly certain its the sound from the hull that makes them come to you, (anything but engine noise) well I'm fairly certain thats whats caused us to be buzzed by minke several times in the past,(awesome and frightening at the same time ) dolphins seem less fazed, it depends on what they are doing and how much they notice you, but I have noticed that when they start leaping about around us and shoot under the boat they always turn on their side and 'eyeball' you, staring at them, as they pass under the boat

[Poly]

Ally, that only means they can't tell the difference between red, blue and green hulls (or other hulls which are all a mix of those colours) but it doesn't say if they can detect the difference between dark and light; which would be the issue with white v's black.