04.05.2026 – Contrasts
May 11, 2026
While our whale-watching guests are able to experience the “beautiful” and deeply moving side of these encounters, things are happening elsewhere at the very same time that are truly heartbreaking.
Today alone, we were able to observe Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and even a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) — impressive encounters that deeply move many people and stay with them for a long time. Yet not everywhere does an encounter with marine mammals mean joy and wonder.
Striped Dolphins and Bottlenose Dolphins, like the ones we saw today, continue to face danger in certain parts of the world — for example in Japan, where dolphin hunts are still taking place in Taiji. Fin Whales, meanwhile, migrating north towards their feeding grounds, are in some areas still threatened by harpoon hunting.
These animals deserve not only our admiration, but also our protection. Perhaps that alone is reason enough to make a small contribution by clicking the link below and signing the petitions.
https://www.lobosonda.com/marine-protection/
https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/norway_save_the_whales_loc/
https://action.ifaw.org/page/167547/action/1?locale=en-GB
By Fatima Kutzschbach
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:00 Striped dolphins, Fin whale
Stenella
09:30 Striped dolphins, Fin whale, Bottlenose dolphins
13:30 Striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins
