24.07.2026 – A Question Worth Asking: Why Kill Whales?

Published by Fatima Kutzschbach on July 30, 2026

These were challenging tours today!

Our midday tour first took us west, into the swell, where we encountered a group of Short-finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). We then crossed to the eastern side of the island, hoping to find a Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) and Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). In the end, only the dolphins made an appearance.

Our final tour also headed straight to the east. Once again, the expected Bryde’s Whale remained elusive, but we were accompanied by Bottlenose Dolphins. At the same time, an unusually large number of whale-watching boats were operating in the area—quite a thought-provoking sight.

During the debrief, we had a very interesting discussion about a topic I had already raised during the tour: Why are whales still being hunted?

The reasons commonly put forward to justify whaling are varied. Tradition, economic interests, food security, and political motives are often cited as arguments. From my personal perspective, however, none of these reasons justifies the killing of whales.

The more we learn about these animals, the more remarkable they prove to be. Whales have complex social structures, sophisticated forms of communication, and play a vital role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. At the same time, many whale populations continue to face significant pressure from human activities.

For this reason, I believe it is important to examine these arguments critically. Knowledge provides the foundation for forming an informed opinion. For me, that knowledge leads to one clear conviction: these extraordinary marine mammals deserve our protection—not our harpoons.

Please support this petition: https://endcommercialwhaling.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

by Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins

13:00 Pilot whales

16:30 no sighting

Steno

09:30 Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins, Risso’s dolphins

13:30 Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins

16:30 Bottlenose dolphins