Futurismo Biologists TeamToday Azores waters delighted us with 4 cetacean species. Right after leaving Ponta Delgada, our catamarans found themselves in the middle of a feeding frenzy.
First, we saw some huge blows in front of us – we found out they belonged to a sei whale, the third-largest animal in the world, which migrates through the Azores islands. However, apparently the whale was foraging so it was quite complicated to follow.
Nevertheless, in no time, a large pod of our beloved resident common dolphins appeared! They were actively feeding, with hundreds of shearwaters fighting over fish right above them. And then we saw the whale was still around, probably enjoying the fish feast as well!
It seems there was enough fish for everyone. In a few moments, between the common dolphins and the occasional whale blows, we saw another dolphin species – migratory Atlantic spotted dolphins with plenty of babies, which can be seen around our islands in the warmer months. So, there were lots of animals all around us – and all of them were taking advantage of the abundant fish!
After spending plenty of time in the middle of this feast, we moved on to see one more dolphin species. This time it was a pod of bottlenose dolphins – a resident species of the Azores, and much larger than the previously seen ones! We saw some nice jumps and some bow-riding – what a great end of our catamaran tours!
Our zodiacs were also lucky to see one animal we love to encounter. A devil ray! It’s one of the largest species of rays, belonging to the same family as manta rays and a close relative of sharks. We can sometimes observe them at the surface of the water, as they are filter feeders and come up to enjoy some plankton.
All in all, although the sea was quite wavy today, the amazing sights we saw really pay off! Make sure to join us next time.
Futurismo Biologists Team
Futurismo Biologists Team
Sandrina Rodrigues
