05.05.2023 – Season

Madeira offers marine mammals at any time of the year. Some prefer our waters in the warm season, others in the cold season. But there is always something going on. Today we were able to observe Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and an active group of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). Common dolphins prefer cooler waters. In the summer they will make their way north. Maybe they are drawn to the Azores, maybe also to the Portuguese mainland or to Tarifa? Our Atlantic dolphins prefer warmer waters. If it gets too cold for them here, they set off on a southern journey. It may well be that they find their winter home in the Canary Islands. Madeira, the Azores and the Canaries, all of volcanic origin, drop precipitously in their coastline. That’s a big advantage. The continuous movement of the sea provides an abundant supply of nutrients that benefit all marine life.

Especially the Atlantic spotted dolphins were very sociable today. A Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) briefly stuck its head out of the water and then dived. These reticent reptiles are wanderers of the seas. They are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Common dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Common dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins