09.11.2016 – Risso’s dolphins
November 14, 2016
11.11.2016 – Mixed groups
November 16, 2016
Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) have been sighted in the last trips during this week, this species always maintains some distance from boats, meaning that again a careful and passive approach is needed, so that we on board may have the best possible sighting of this beautiful animals. Reducing speed and consequently the noise produced by the engines we were able to get relatively close to this dolphins from the genus Grampus group. Like the Pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), also sighted during this last trips, this dolphin species are nocturnal hunters in the neritic zone, which means that by using the drop-off of the continental shelf, they find and hunt their prey, swimming during the night much closer to the shoreline, in some parts of Madeira island less then 1 nm. This of course is a “scenery” that we ordinary whalewatchers can only imagine.
by Daniel Jardim
P.S. Our beloved NIKON that has been taking all the amazing photos during the past years is taking a “rest”, we promise trying to fix “her” as soon as possible. While we can’t show you pictures of the beautiful animals, we’ll pick out some from our archives.
Todays Sightings:
Ribeira Brava
14.30: Risso’s dolphins, Pilot whales
Stenella
10.00: Risso’s dolphins, Pilot whales
