On another dive, Tessa was snorkeling with Spot at the surface. When she dove under water a few feet, Spot got very excited. He swam right beside her, then raced to the surface and jumped out of the water. In this picture, notice how the tips of Spot s tail fin point from side to side. This is a difference between underwater mammals and fish.
Fish have tail fins with tips that point up and down.
Compare Spot s tail fin with the fins of some of the fish on the ReefNews website. Spot was about 5 feet long. He was an adolescent male, which may be why he was alone and not yet living in a pod. And Spot can t scratch himself, having no hands and not being able to bend enough to reach his belly with his snout. To subscribe to this free newsletter, check out the e-ReefNews subscription page .