The location of Madeira Archipelago on the North Atlantic ocean is an advantage to get some cetaceans passing by on its migrating routes.
The only species present during all year on the Exclusive Economic Zones of Madeira and Azores archipelagos are the Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). This species have circle migratory movements through the tropical and subtropical waters for females and immatures while males have pendulum movements that can reach the polar zones. It is thought that the individuals that occur in Madeira and in Azores belong to the same population.
The Sperm whale is considered a vulnerable species to Portugal as its populations during the past 70 years (3 generations) had reduced considerably due to the intense hunting activity, which nowadays is completely forbidden.
Here are the cetacean species that might be seen during a whale and dolphin watching sea trip in Madeira waters and the most probable season to see them, based on frequency of observations:
Common species to observe in Madeira:
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) - April to October
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - All year but mainly from March to September
Short-finned Pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) - January to February and April to October
Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni)
Common Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) - Mars to October
Short-beaked Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - January to July
Atlantic Spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) - Mars to October
Not so common species in Madeira:
Northen Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) - June to August
Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) - June to October
Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - February to May and July to September
Rare species in Madeira archipelago:
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis)
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
North Atlantic Right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)
Killer whale (Orcinus orca)
False Killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens)
Pygmy Sperm whale (Kogia breviceps)
Cuvier's Beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris)
Blainville's Beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris)
Sowerby's Beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens)
Rough Toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis)
If you whish, you may print the Madeira Sea Mammals Checklist down on this page.
