Mercedes Reyes

WeWhale trips in Tenerife during the month of April 2024 had top result, with cetacean sightings in every tour (Graph 1). The majority of the encounters were with the resident species within the area, the pilot whales (Globicephala macrorynchus) and the bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Most days there were encounters with transient species feeding in the area, with a higher number of encounters of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), followed by Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) and common dolphins (Delphinus delphis).

One day the team had sightings of a pod of Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus). Apart from cetaceans, in 10% of the trips, the team had encounters with loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) resting on the surface, and in less proportion, hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna zygaena) (Graph 2).

WeWhale trips in Lanzarote during the month of April 2024 had a high rate of 85% of cetacean encounters (Graph 3). The most sighted animals were two oceanic dolphin species: Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and common dolphins (Delphinus delphis).

At a lower number of encounters, there were sightings of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) and Rough teeth dolphins (Steno bredanensis). The team in Lanzarote also encountered Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) and Gervais beaked whales (Mesoplodon europeus) (Graph 4).