23.09.2025 – A coastal affair

If we could label one cetacean species as our coastguard it would be the Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). The species enjoys a wide distribution, with several subspecies occurring across the world-s oceans, each divided into coastal and oceanic ecotypes according to their preferred habitat. Here in Madeira, both ecotypes can be found and our coastal ecotypes are part of a resident population shared by our region with the Canary Islands. True to their habitat preference, Bottlenose dolphins tend to be seen closer to the coastline and mainly occur in waters of about 500m depth.

The fact that the species has such a strong relationship to Madeira and shows a preference for coastal waters puts the species in quite a vulnerable position in comparison to other cetaceans visiting Madeira. Protecting the Bottlenose dolphin therefore goes far beyond being vigilant during a whale-watching activity. Coastal waters tend to have more frequent boat traffic and contain more waste, which are both human influences that change the animals behaviour.

Our team cannot do much about the boat traffic but we can make a difference when it comes to coastal waste, which is why our team joined forces with Ocean Devotion Madeira, Greeneract and the regional directorate for the environment (DRAM) to once again clean up the beach of Madalena do Mar. The event was part of the coastal cleanup week by the Oceano Azul Foundation, an initiative to raise awareness about the dangers of coastal waste for marine life and the easy solutions that can be applied to prevent it. During the cleanup our volunteers collected a total of 10kg in 2 hours. This is not our first cleanup of Madalena and the events are bearing fruit. As one of our frequent and most dedicated volunteers, João, stated; the beach seems to have less waste every time we clean it. This is great news for the Bottlenose dolphins and all other coastal marine life!

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

13:00 Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Bottlenose dolphins

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins

16:30 Bottlenose dolphins