24.08.2023 – A series of surprises

 Our day was filled with fantastic tours and absolutely lovely guests. We started the day with a difficult but rewarding sighting of Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris). These deep divers can rarely be admired up close and todays group could also only be observed from a distance. We were, however, close enough to see the characteristic white colouring stretching from the head section down the torso of these large, bulky cetaceans which already was an absolute thrill for our lovely guests.

In the early afternoon our team managed a sighting of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), a very well studied cetacean species and one of Madeira most important predators. The species are considered as ecological indicators by local scientists and are one of the most considered species when it comes to creating conservation areas. 

While our traditional boat met yet another pod of Bottlenose dolphins, our Stenella dashed offshore to meet a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) mixed among around a dozen Rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis). While spotted are a very well studied species with a social structure that is similar to that of the Bottlenose dolphins, we know very little about Rough-toothed dolphins. In the wild, the species is known to swim in tight subgroups, a behaviour that is consistent with the notion that social bonds and proximity to conspecifics is important for these dolphins. Whether this is an indication of stable family groups or constantly changing groups of “friends” (or even a bit of both..) we simply do not know but it definitely never gets boing with these magnificent oceanic dolphins!

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Cuvier’s beaked whales

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins

17:00 Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Cuvier’s beaked whales

13:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins

17:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins