11.01.2019 – Atlantic spotted friends
It is simply the most rewarding feeling to finally find cetaceans after seaching far and wide. As we were covering the waters west of Calheta, our vigiaCarlos called and informed us of a large group of travelling dolphins. Needless to…
10.01.2019 – Dynamic duo
The Atlantic gave us a warm welcome on placid waters this morning with large groups of our dynamic duo here in Madeira; Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). This combination of species has been extremely frequent…
09.01.2019 – Oceanic ornaments
All cetaceans are beautiful and a pleasure to observe in the wild but two species here in Madeira are especially ornamental during our time on the ocean. Both the Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)…
08.01.2019 – Happy hunting
We had a fantastic tour on our zodiac this afternoon and were welcomed by a large dispersed herd of Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) travelling alongside a larger group of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Whilst these two species of toothed…
05.01.2019 – Sandy sightings
Today was a particularly interesting day for the Lobosonda team. The crew and guests had to withstand rather gusty conditions out at sea which made it extremely hard for us to find animals. While the difficult conditions at sea resulted…
04.01.2019 – Whistles – grunts – calls – clicks
Pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), which belong to the group of dolphins, are currently frequently seen in front of Madeira’s coast. So was too today! Various subgroups were spread over our observation area. A few restrained Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) were…
03.01.2019 – Hopeful beginnings
After a very windy and rainy transition into the new year, the weather conditions finally settled slightly and allowed us to set out to sea today for our usual search for cetaceans in Madeira’s waters. The strategic teamwork on the…
29.12.2018 – Ay, ay captain!
Every boat needs a crew and every crew needs a captain. A leader is generally vital for the necessary coordination within groups, helping them collectively organize themselves and learn to improve. For highly intelligent animals that move and exist in…
28.12.2018 – Pinpointing
Approaching the end of the 2018, most of the December sightings have been of Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhyncus) and occasionally some groups of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Either close together or in separate groups these Odontoceti species have also…
26.12.2018 – Definition of a hero
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), as we saw them with both boats this morning, are certainly amongst the most well-known dolphin species. For many, the movie “Flipper” is certainly a reminder of children’s days. But who knew at the time, when…