Spotted Ragged-tooth Shark

With its short, pointed snout, small beady eyes and a mouth crammed full of needle-like teeth, the ragged-tooth shark oozes malevolence. Looks are misleading, however, and we have learnt that, unmolested, raggies are gentle and quietly accommodating despite their menacing appearance.

There are 2 groups of raggies that visit Aliwal Shoal. The first is a sexually immature collection that moves into KZN waters during the winter months. In fact most raggies that visit the Shoal are sub-adult and sexually immature. The drop in water temperatures during this time effectively extends their range and once the waters warm they return to the cooler Cape waters.

The second collection consists of mature sharks that pass through during their breeding migration. The females arrive from the Eastern Cape and can be spotted from early winter in June or July, through to the end of spring in November or December. It is here that they meet their male counterparts for mating. (Although small numbers of males are found year round in Eastern Cape waters, the males’ whereabouts before and after mating remains mostly a mystery).

Some of the teeth found on the sand patch at Raggie Cave may have been lost during mating bites inflicted by the males.

After mating the females move up to Maputaland and southern Mozambique to spend the early part of their gestation in warmer waters. Here the pregnant females hover, almost motionlessly near the shallow reefs, saving energy while the pups grow in their uteri.

A protruding set of teeth gives the raggie its name. Raggie teeth are designed for gripping (rather than cutting) prey, which is usually swallowed whole. This definitely removes us from the menu!!

Sadly this magnificent creature has been put on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species and is classed as Vulnerable or at high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future. Although they are currently classified as Near Threatened in South Africa, experts believe that research may yet prove them to be Vulnerable.

Raggies are a protected species within the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA) and may not be harvested in any form.

Bottlenose Dolphins

An encounter with wild bottlenose dolphins is a regular and favourite feature whilst travelling by boat to or from the various dive sites. They may make a stunning appearance during a dive and to see these creatures in their natural environment is a true privilege. North Sands is one of their favoured areas.

Humpback Whales

Our coastline provides a winter haven for the singing humpback whales. During the months of June & July, these whales migrate up along our coastline en route to their breeding grounds off Mozambique and Angola. It is in these warmer waters that they will mate and calve and in so doing, escape the harsh Antarctic winter. During September & October they are again encountered, often with newborn calves, as they journey back south, returning to their chilly but nutrient-rich feeding grounds in the Antarctic. Here they will feed on Antarctic krill and refuel for the season ahead. Their journey is an incredible one with some populations travelling over 16 000 km’s. This is said to be the longest migration of any mammal on earth!!

Turtles

Of the five species of turtles in our area, the loggerhead, hawksbill, green and very rarely seen leatherback may be found at Aliwal. Turtles can be seen almost anywhere on Aliwal and are generally unperturbed by divers.