Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins, False killer whales, Spotted dolphins, Beaked whales Cuvier’s, Beaked whales, Bryde’s whale
We have recently seen the following whale and dolphin species on our whale watching tours off La Gomera:
- Pilot whales (Indian pilot whales)
- Bottlenose dolphins
- False killer whale
- Atlantic spotted dolphin
- Cuvier’s beaked whales
- Beaked whales (unidentified)
- Bryde’s whale
One day we spotted dark dorsal fins in the distance. There seemed to be a lot going on at the spot as the water was moving and dark shadows were constantly appearing and disappearing. Were they porpoises? Or perhaps excited pilot whales? As it is, the ocean always has a surprise in store. We cautiously approached the wild goings-on and couldn’t believe our eyes when we realised after looking at them several times that they weren’t porpoises or pilot whales. Instead, it was a large school of small killer whales (loggerhead whales) cavorting on the surface of the water. It was a breathtaking moment to watch these animals hunt and play. Although they were so busy, they marvelled at us with their curious eyes and examined us and the boat closely. And they don’t have their name for nothing: Their behaviour and presence makes you realise in awe how similar they are to the Orcinus Orca, the ‘real’ killer whales after all.
On one of our trips there was a fantastic encounter between pilot whales and spotted dolphins. The spotted dolphins were playful, curious and eager to move! Their zest for life is really infectious!
The bottlenose dolphins also showed their best side from time to time.
We were incredibly lucky to have spotted beaked whales three times. Once it was the Cuvier’s beaked whales. However, they were far away and could only be seen briefly, so we weren’t always sure exactly who it was. Nevertheless, it was a magical experience!
We also greeted the first pardelas at sea, sharks and many Portuguese man o’ wars.
Unfortunately, we also had to free another turtle from plastic. It had already swallowed a large piece and got tangled up. We got it onto the boat and passed it on to the responsible organisation.
At the end of the month, we were delighted to see another Bryde’s whale.
The sighting rate for the entire period was 80%.
Fotos: Noel Covián, OCEANO Archiv