25.11.2025 – Chips eating sounds
December 1, 2025
Today we encountered our most common mixed sightings: Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). There are ample reasons why these species would interact with each other. One of these is that the Bottlenose dolphins search actively the company of the Pilot whales. Pilot whales are larger and especially the males with up to 7m are a strength with which should not be messed with. This is why the smaller Bottlenose dolphins search for the Pilot whales, as like that they are safer from predators. Apart from that it was also shown that Bottlenose dolphins like to interact with several cetacean species sometimes simply because they search the company of the other species.
Today was also a special day, as we had a school class which could try out the job of a marine biologist on board. They collected data of the sightings and learned about the beauty of the ocean.
By Horst Schulte
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:00 Bottlenose dolphins
11:00 Bottlenose dolphins
Stenella
09:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales
