03.08.2025 – Deep diving

Today was the day of the deep diving animals, as we could appreciate the beauty of some Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris). Both are animals which feed in the deep sea. There they hunt for squid, the large males of the Sperm whale even the large Giant squid (Architeuthis dux). Madeira is an ideal place for these deep diving animals, as with such a steep coastline the deep sea is reached close to the shore. That is the reason why we can appreciate these beautiful animals in the waters of the island.

While Sperm whales have the largest teeth in the animal kingdom with over 20cm in length Beaked whales are toothless with exception of the little tusks of the males.

Apart from these two species on the last Stenella trip some Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). They don’t dive as deep, instead preferring the shallower waters of the coast.

By Horst Schulte

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Sperm whale

13:00 Sperm whale, Blainville’s beaked whale

Stenella

09:30 Sperm whale

13:30 Sperm whale, Blainville’s beaked whale

16:30 Bottlenose dolphin