11.06.2022 – On our doorstep

Published by Fatima Kutzschbach on June 18, 2022

I’ve been asked from time to time how far out we have to go before we see marine mammals encounter. A question that needs some digging. For example, it may depend on the species of animals. The coastal Bottlenose dolphins are often found close to shore. Common dolphins can sometimes stay close to shore, sometimes farther away. Tropical whales, which are not deep divers, can sometimes be spotted 1 nm offshore. Deep divers such as Beaked whales, Pilot whales and Sperm whales are often encountered from 2 nm and further out. Striped dolphins have their preferred range further out. And then there is the natural factor that can mix everything up. Because the animals migrate through the sea in search of food. It is very rare that the marine mammals that we encountered in an area on the morning tour are also there in the afternoon. Therefore, a spotter observing the sea from an elevated vantage point and giving us this information is a very useful support.