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 also seen in between but you had to look very carefully to discover them.

Off Madeira’s coast, we mainly encounter the Short fined- Pilot whales. They have, like their conspecifics, the Long fined Pilot whales a large repertoire of vocalizations. If one were to listen into the acustic world of these animals, one could distinguish clicks, shouts, grunts and whistles. These sounds are used depending on the behavioral context. Despite the high level of social interactivity among themselves, it also happens that these animals wrap themselves up in silence for extended periods of time. Meditative, right ?!

by Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

14:30 Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins

15:00 Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins