09.10.2019 – 21st century dolphin
October 18, 2019
11.10.2019 – An (almost) impossible task?
October 20, 2019
Respectful observations of marine mammals don’t just require a careful and correct approach but also the right behaviour during the sightings. It is of utmost importance that we remain passive during our encounters and also dose our time with the animals very carefully.
Our first sighting today involved a small group of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that were slowly moving eastward. After our spotter found them, he immediately directed both our boats towards the area. It seems, however, that this was the only group of animals moving through the Southwestern waters today as we were soon joined by two other whale-watching companies from Calheta. To avoid overburdening the animals, we backed off and left the sighting area in search of other species that may be roaming the waters. The short but sweet encounter with the Bottlenose was a very understandable situation for our guests; the community of this species usually remains close to the coastline and receives a lot of boat contact. The resident nature of the Bottlenose community in the Macaronesian islands also means that Madeira is an important habitat for them, a relationship we aren’t willing to sabotage through bad behaviour out on the ocean.
Our traditional boat had to venture far into the East. this afternoon to finally encounter a group of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). We couldn’t have asked for a better sighting considering the choppy conditions further out at sea; these innately curious dolphins nearly always approach our boats and elegantly glide through the waves of our bow. Again, we were the second boat with these dolphins and therefore had to time our stay with the animals accordingly.
Respect isn’t a sentiment expressed out of convenience; it is a consistent attitude towards others and our goal is to also maintain it towards marine life at all times.
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
10:00 Bottlenose dolphins
14:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins
Stenella
10:00 Bottlenose dolphins
