Over 30 Years of Observation and Research

Since 1993, Espaço Talassa has been collecting and organizing data from thousands of trips at sea.
Yet building precise statistics remains complex — each species has its own behaviour, preferred habitat, and migratory rhythm.

For example:

• Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) can be frequently seen just a few miles from the coast, some times very close (less then 3 miles) providing unique and close-up sightings.
• Toothed whales (except Sperm whales) tend to prefer deep offshore waters.
• Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) return to the archipelago around June, when sea temperatures reach 20°C.

Sighting Frequency by Species

Often observed

• Physeter macrocephalus – Sperm whale
• Delphinus delphis – Common dolphin
• Grampus griseus – Risso’s dolphin
• Tursiops truncatus – Bottlenose dolphin
• Stenella frontalis – Atlantic spotted dolphin
• Stenella coeruleoalba – Striped dolphin

Occasionally observed

• Globicephala macrorhynchus – Short-finned pilot whale
• Balaenoptera borealis – Sei whale
• Balaenoptera physalus – Fin whale
• Balaenoptera musculus – Blue whale
• Mesoplodon bidens – Sowerby’s beaked whale
• Megaptera novaeangliae – Humpback whale
• Hyperoodon ampullatus – Northern bottlenose whale
• Pseudorca crassidens – False killer whale
• Balaenoptera edeni – Bryde’s whale

Rarely observed

• Ziphius cavirostris – Cuvier’s beaked whale
• Kogia breviceps – Pygmy sperm whale
• Balaenoptera acutorostrata – Minke whale
• Orcinus orca – Killer whale
• Mesoplodon densirostris – Blainville’s beaked whale
• Mesoplodon europaeus – Gervais’ beaked whale
• Globicephala melas – Long-finned pilot whale
• Steno bredanensis – Rough-toothed dolphin
• Lagenodelphis hosei – Fraser’s dolphin
• Mesoplodon mirus – True’s beaked whale
• Kogia sima – Dwarf sperm whale