30.03.2023 – Joyful varieties

We were welcomed by an unexpected species out on the ocean. A pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) was swimming far offshore and the juvenile animals leapt in their usual gleeful manner towards our Stenella. While Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), a species that was sighted on all our tours today, dominate our sightings during the winter months, spotted dolphins are by far the most frequently sighted cetacean during the summer. The fact that we saw them today is a sign of transition. Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), one of Madeira’s more “local” species, were also encountered during our morning trip. 

In the evening members of our crew attended a workshop by the IFCN, the entity responsible for wildlife conservation here in Madeira, that was directed at informing people working in whale-watching about the Monk seal (Monachus.m.monachus) population here in Madeira. The workshop was very informative and was a stark reminder of the important role we can all play in conserving g a species. Monk seals are primarily threatened through habitat degradation and interaction with fishing gear; even here in Calheta we often see a monk seal foraging near the aquaculture. The workshop ended with more advice on how to deal with injured or dead animals at sea, a vital advice for sightings that may occur but are, thankfully, extremely rare.

For more information on the monk seal project visit the following link. 

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Short-beaked common dolphins

13:30 Short-beaked common dolphins