20.10.2025 – Doing their thing

This morning both our boats managed sightings of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) as well as of Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), two of Madeira’s most important predators. While both species differ in their social lives they do share the same distribution and habitat use, leading to an abundance of mixed sightings involving individuals from both species.

While both groups were moving east, they were not encountered in the same area today with each species doing their thing. The Bottlenose dolphins were surfing the waves with their little calves to accelerate their travels, shortly allowing their little ones to enjoy a bow ride. The pilot whales were calmly cruising, logging and frolicking at the surface in between shallow submersions.

In the afternoon the bottlenose disappeared in the wind but the pilot whales were again observed by pour speedboat. Sadly the sighting was out of range for our traditional boat which returned without a sighting, a fate that also awaited our Stenella guests in the late afternoon. Our guests enjoyed the tours, nevertheless, cruising over the beautiful ocean with lovely Madeira as a backdrop.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales

13:00 No sightings

Stenella

09:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales

13:00 Short-finned pilot whales

16:00 No sightings