Bottlenose dolphins, Pilot whales, Spotted dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins, Loggerhead turtle
We have recently seen the following whale and dolphin species on our whale watching tours off La Gomera:
- Bottlenose dolphins
- Atlantic spotted dolphin
- Pilot whales (Short-finned pilot whales)
- Rough-toothed dolphins
After a long time, we were finally able to spot rough-toothed dolphins again – a species that hadn’t been seen in the area for quite some time. It was particularly exciting to watch the animals hunting near the coast of Valle Gran Rey.
A particular highlight was the encounter with a mixed group of rough-toothed dolphins and Atlantic spotted dolphins. The animals were very active together, playing with pufferfish and surfing together in the boat’s bow wave – a fascinating behaviour that we had not yet been able to observe.
The pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins, which are regularly encountered here, also showed their active side at times. We saw plenty of young pilot whales, including some calves born only recently, as the birth stripes were still clearly visible.
In between, a turtle drifted leisurely past the water’s surface – a peaceful contrast to the lively activity of the dolphins. Less pleasing, however, was the large amount of rubbish we spotted in the sea.
The sighting rate for the entire period was 77%.
Fotos: Noel Covián, OCEANO Archiv