Whales & dolphins: The species we meet off La Gomera
According to the latest findings, approximately 92 species belong to the order of cetaceans. 23 of them have been sighted in the seas off La Gomera in the last fifteen years. The 10 species most commonly encountered are listed here.
Bottlenose dolphin – Tursiops truncatus
The powerful Bottlenose dolphin can measure up to 3-4m, the calves being born after a 12-months’ ...
Short-finned pilot whale – Globicephala macrorhynchus
Resident groups of the majestic Pilot whale live off the coasts of Tenerife, which is why ...
Atlantic spotted dolphin – Stenella frontalis
The entertainers: The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin is the smallest dolphin species around La Gomera. Their body ...
Bryde’s whale – Balaenoptera brydei
The Bryde’s Whale is part of the family of baleen whales. Their body size is 12 ...
Common dolphin – Delphinus delphis
The Common Dolphin is one of the most beautifully coloured dolphins. Their body size is 1.7- ...
Rough-toothed dolphin – Steno bredanensis
Here around La Gomera the Rough-Toothed Dolphins have a body size of about 2.1 – 2.6 ...
Sperm whale – Physeter macrocephalus
The Sperm Whale is probably one of the Canary Islands’ resident species. However, the population which ...
Striped dolphin – Stenella coeruleoalba
Striped Dolphins are one of the smaller species here around La Gomera. Their body size is ...
Cuvier’s beaked whale – Ziphius cavirostris
The Beaked Whales are almost unexplored. But we know that their body size is 5.5 – ...
Blainville’s beaked whale – Mesoplodon densirostris
The Blainville’s Beaked Whale is different to the Cuvier’s Beaked Whale in size and colour. The ...
(Drawings: Katrin Wähner www.katrinwaehner.de)