Whale and dolphin watching season at Pico | From March to October 2022

This season in Pico was excellent in terms of diversity of species sighted and identified. In the world, there are existing more than 80 different species of cetaceans, of which 28 have been registered in the Azores! 

For this 2022 season, a total of no less than 21 different species of whales and dolphins were seen around Pico island, mostly in the South! Three out of the top five sighted species were residents this year.

• 1st place is the common dolphin, this beautiful soul with this yellowish hourglass pattern on its flanks
• 2nd place belongs to the most emblematic whale of the Azores, the sperm whale
• 3rd place, the Risso’s dolphin, with its body covered with scars, making him so unique

The 4th and 5th rank a seasonal and a migratory species are sharing:

• The Atlantic spotted dolphin, with a lightly spotted from occurring as well, is a seasonal species and reached the 4th rank;
• The sei whale, this slender baleen whale, which is a migratory species, reached the 5th rank.

Some very rare species, with sometimes just a single sighting for the whole season, like the minke whale, the true beaked whale, the long-finned pilot whales or pygmy sperm whale deserved to be mentioned as well due to their rarity. 

The most exceptional and remarkable sighting this year in terms of cetaceans, is without a doubt the sei whale. Not only in terms of abundance (some months with 100% of sightings!) but also in terms of variety and rarity of behaviours observed, especially the curiosity demonstrated by juveniles and the feeding frenzy with thousands of tunas, dolphins and sea birds. 

Our passionate team is still frequently keeping an eye at sea from the coast, and not even a week ago baleen whales were spotted feeding on schooling fish to the surface with pods of dolphins!

Which better news can we get from Pico island from our beloved whales and dolphins? What more could we report about our amazing 2022 season? 

It was definitively a “shark” year! With special mention for numerous sightings of blue sharks and some unforgettable close encounters with the impressive spotted filter-feeding whale sharks, leaving all the passengers with stars in the eyes!

Well, we also had the pleasure to welcome more guests than in 2021 and of course that makes us also very happy!