29.04.2026 – Pursuit of happiness
May 6, 2026
The day started with a Madeira resident, the Tropical whale (Balaenoptera edeni), also known as the Bryde’s whale. Madeira is the best place to see this whale in Europe, since this species stays all year round in the sea around Madeira. The population is linked to the one in West Africa and the Caribbean.
They look very similar to a small Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). What sets them apart are the three ridges on their head, but to see that part of the whale can be tricky at times. The female grows up to a maximum of 15.5 meters in length and needs around 600 kg of food (small schooling fish) a day.
The Bryde’s whale isn’t just one species; it consists of multiple genetically and biologically distinct species. For example, in the Gulf of Mexico, the Rice’s whale—formerly believed to be a Bryde’s whale—became its own species in 2021. Now this whale is facing extinction, with only 50 of them in the world. The Trump administration agreed to exempt the industry that is responsible for the environmental collapse from complying with endangered species laws in the Gulf of Mexico. Concrete threats by the oil and gas industry include the noise of seismic surveys; pipelines, cables, and drilling also interfere with the whale’s communicative vocalisations, as well as ship strikes.
By Eva Köhle
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:00 Fin Whale, Tropical Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin
13:00 Fin Whale, Loggerhead Turtle
Stenella
09:30 Fin Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin
13:30 Fin Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Striped Dolphins
13:30 Fin Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin
