09.07.2024 – Question Everything

One of our main aims as whale-watching guides is to inspire people’s creativity and questions about the ocean. Today, two young guests came prepared with a handwritten list of 10 questions. Here, I present to you the answers to their 5 best questions. 

1. Who are dolphins related to?

In the sea, all cetaceans (whales and dolphins) are related and split into two groups: those with teeth, i.e., dolphins (like today’s Rough Toothed (Steno brendanesis), orca (Orcinus orca), and pilot whales (Globicephela spp.), and those with baleen, i.e., humpback (Megaptera novelangliae), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), and blue (Balaenoptera musculus) whales. They are all part of the artiodactyls, which include animals like llamas and giraffes.

2. How Often Does A Dolphin Get Pregnant?

Dolphins have a baby every one to six years, taking time between pregnancies to raise their current calf. 

3. Does Dolphin Kindergarten exist?

Yes. Dolphin societies sometimes form small nursery groups to protect their young. 

4. Are there sharks in Madeira? 

Defiently ! On the coast, we see hammerheads (Sphyrna spp.) on our tours. Further out, we find blue (Prionace glauca) and mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) sharks. 

and finally….

5. Do dolphins fart?

A vital question. Yes, yes, they do. 

by Peter Worth

Sightings of the Day 

Stenella

09:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins

14:00 Bottlenose dolphins

17:00 Rough Toothed Dolphins

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins