27.05.2023 – Unpredictable

Working in a whale-watching company comes with responsibility. We cannot allow ourselves to think purely commercially and act like the ocean is ours to conquer and exploit. Our responsibility dictates that we set an example, show people that we are lucky to still have these fantastic creatures in our oceans and how vital it is that we protect them. Careful conduct and attentively interpreting the animals behaviour during a sighting is therefore absolutely paramount during an encounter.

This is all particularly true for snorkelling activities with dolphins. Such tours can be very invasive and awful for the dolphins if not conducted carefully. In Madeira, local regulations allow us to commercially conduct the activity with two species; the Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and the Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Our team designed the activity to minimise our impact on the animals during an encounter but, apart from that, of course there are other factors to take into account. Other boats entering the sightings area, the dolphins suddenly beginning to forage or other cetacean species entering the area are examples of situations that force our team to halt the activity. We had such a situation this morning but our team nonetheless managed a nice sighting with both species of snorkelling dolphins and Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and our guests appreciated our efforts under the given circumstances.

The challenge behind wildlife encounters is that we are entering a habitat or situation that is, in its simplest terms, always unpredictable. Having and teaching respect for nature, however, does go a long way and is one way of once again seeing other beings as kin, rather than as exploitable tools.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Bottlenose Dolphins, Short-beaked common dolphins

Stenella

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