Did you know, Madeira is one of the best places in Europe to see whales and dolphins?
It is possible to see 27 cetacean species in the waters of the archipelego of Madeira. Some species are commonly sighted, other species are sighted regularly, then there are species sighted occasionally, and finally rare sightings.
Madeira cetacean species:
| No. | Sighting frequency | English name | Species | Family |
| 1 | Common | Bottlenose Dolphin | Tursiops Truncatus | Delphinidae |
| 2 | Common | Atlantic Spotted Dolphin | Stenella Frontalis | Delphinidae |
| 3 | Common | Short-beaked Common Dolphin | Delphinus Delphis | Delphinidae |
| 4 | Common | Short-finned Pilot Whale | Globicephala Macrorhychus | Delphinidae |
| 5 | Regular | Sperm Whale | Physeter Macrocephalus | Physeteridae |
| 6 | Regular | Bryde's Whale | Balaenoptera Edeni | Balaenopteridae |
| 7 | Regular | Striped Dolphin | Stenella Coeruleoalba | Delphinidae |
| 8 | Regular | Fin Whale | Balaenoptera Physalus | Balaenopteridae |
| 9 | Regular | Blainville's Beaked Whale | Mesoplodon Densirostris | Ziphiidae |
| 10 | Occasional | Cuvier's Beaked Whale | Ziphius Cavirostris | Ziphiidae |
| 11 | Occasional | Risso's Dolphin | Grampus Griseus | Delphinidae |
| 12 | Occasional | Rough-toothed Dolphin | Steno Bredanensis | Delphinidae |
| 13 | Occasional | False Killer Whale | Pseudorca Crassidens | Delphinidae |
| 14 | Occasional | Sei Whale | Balaenoptera Borealis | Balaenopteridae |
| 15 | Occasional | Killer Whale | Orcinus Orca | Delphinidae |
| 16 | Occasional | Pygmy Sperm Whale | Kogia Breviceps | Kogiidae |
| 17 | Occasional | Dwarf Sperm Whale | Kogia Sima | Kogiidae |
| 18 | Rare | Sowerby's Beaked Whale | Mesoplodon Bidens | Ziphiidae |
| 19 | Rare | Gervais' Beaked Whale | Mesoplodon Europaeus | Ziphiidae |
| 20 | Rare | Blue Whale | Balaenoptera Musculus | Balaenopteridae |
| 21 | Rare | Humpback Whale | Megaptera Novaeangliae | Balaenopteridae |
| 22 | Rare | Minke Whale | Balaenoptera Acutorostrata | Balaenopteridae |
| 23 | Rare | Northern Bottlenose Whale | Hyperoodon Ampullatus | Ziphiidae |
| 24 | Rare | Fraser's Dolphin | Lagenodelphis Hosei | Delphinidae |
| 25 | Rare | Melon-headed Whale | Pepanocephala Electra | Delphinidae |
| 26 | Rare | Pygmy Killer Whale | Feresa Attenuata | Delphinidae |
| 27 * | Rare | Pantropical Spotted Dolphin | Stenella Attenuata | Delphinidae |
* Pantropical Spotted Dolphins seen for first time in August 2024 i.e. after this report.
I have been fortunate to see three rare species in Madeira: Blue Whale, Humpback Whale and Fraser's Dolphins.
During this trip, from 23 April to 6 May, 2024, I have seen two species not seen previously: Sei Whale and Atlantic Spotted Dolphins. This brings the number of cetacean species I have seen in Madeira waters to 14.
If you want to see whales and dolphins in Madeira, how to you go about it?
1) Book a package holiday to Funchal, Madeira. I recommend using Jet2 which no longer promotes aquariums with captive dolphins. #EmptyTheTanks
2) Book dolphin and whale watching trips with Magic Dolphin, Madeira's premier dolphin and whale watching company. Magic Dolphin is an environmentally-friendly company with a fantastic crew and on-board marine biologists.
To see dolphins and whales with Magic Dolphin you have a choice of three boats.
1) Magic Dolphin Eco catamaran
2) Magic Dolphin Sea Safaris
3) Magic Dolphin Celebrity catamaran
Please don't expect to see all 27 cetacean species on a single trip. Each trip is different and you never know what you will see. If you book a number of trips, you may be fortunate to see different cetacean species on each trip. You may also wish to sample all three boats - Eco, Sea Safaris and Celebrity.
During the past two weeks, I have seen cetaceans on 100% of trips with Magic Dolphin. If you book a trip and don't see any dolphins or whales, you get your next trip for only 10 Euros.
When booking with Magic Dolphin, please mention that you heard about Magic Dolphin via Andy Lawson at Mountains of Scotland.
A selection of photographs follow, all taken during the past two weeks with Magic Dolphin.
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Sei Whale (Balaenoptra Borealis)
Family: Balaenopteridae
Length: 12 - 16m
Weight: 12,700 to 15,500kg
Lifespan: 70 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 1
Sei Whale blow:
Sei Whale:
Sei whale rostrum (single median line):
Sei Whale back and dorsal fin:
Sei Whale dorsal fin:
Sei Whale blow:
Sperm Whale (Physeter Macrocephalus)
Family: Physeteridae
Length: 11 - 20m
Weight: 35,000 to 60,000kg
Lifespan: 60-70 years
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 2
Sperm Whales having fun:
Sperm Whale on side showing pectoral fin:
Spyhop:
Spyhop:
Sperm Whale on back showing lower jaw:
Sperm Whale fluke:
Blainville's Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon Densirostris)
Family: Ziphiidae
Length: 4 - 5.5m
Weight: 800 to 1,000kg
Lifespan: unknown
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 1
Blainville's Beaked Whale:
Blainville's Beaked Whale:
Blainville's Beaked Whale:
Blainville's Beaked Whale:
Short-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala Macrorhynchus)
Family: Delphinidae
Length: 3.5 - 7.0m
Weight: 1,000 to 3,000kg
Lifespan: 45 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 6
Short-finned Pilot Whale:
Short-finned Pilot Whale:
Short-finned Pilot Whale:
Baby Short-finned Pilot Whale playing with seaweed on its pectoral fin:
Magic Dolphin Sea Safaris watching the Short-finned Pilot Whales:
Short-finned Pilot Whale:
Short-finned Pilot Whales:
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella Frontalis)
Family: Delphinidae
Length: 1.5 - 2.3m
Weight: 100 to 150kg
Lifespan: unknown
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 10
Super-fast Atlantic Spotted Dolphin bowriding catamaran:
Baby Atlantic Spotted Dolphin:
Baby Atlantic Spotted Dolphin:
Baby Atlantic Spotted Dolphin:
An older Atlantic Spotted Dolphin showing spots over whole body:
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin:
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin:
Atlantic Spotted Dolphins:
Mother and baby Atlantic Spotted Dolphins:
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin breaching in front of boat:
Breaching Atlantic Spotted Dolphin:
Striped Dolphin (Stenella Coeruleoalba)
Family: Delphinidae
Length: 1.8 - 2.5m
Weight: 150 to 160kg
Lifespan: 55-60 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 3
Striped Dolphin:
Striped Dolphin:
Mother and baby Striped Dolphins:
Striped Dolphins:
Striped Dolphins:
Striped Dolphins:
Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus Delphis)
Family: Delphinidae
Length: 1.7 - 2.5m
Weight: 100 to 140kg
Lifespan: probably 30 - 40 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 10
Short-beaked Common Dolphins:
Short-beaked Common Dolphins with calf:
Short-beaked Common Dolphins:
Short-beaked Common Dolphin (colouration and hourglass pattern):
Short-beaked Common Dolphins:
Short-beaked Common Dolphins:
Short-beaked Common Dolphins:
Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus)
Family: Delphinidae
Length: 1.8 - 3.9m
Weight: 300 to 650kg
Lifespan: 20 to 50 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Number of sightings during past two weeks: 10
Bottlenose Dolphins:
Bottlenose Dolphin:
Bottlenose Dolphin:
Bottlenose Dolphin:
Bottlenose Dolphin:
Bottlenose Dolphins:
Breaching Bottlenose Dolphin:
Other Species encountered
Flying fish:
Bulwer's Petrel:
Madeira Whale Watching [Part One] (9th April to 22nd April, 2024)
Thank you Magic Dolphin.
