Sightings & Statistics

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) are rarely seen less than three miles from the coast.
• Toothed 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
• Tursiops truncatus – Bottlenose dolphin
• Stenella frontalis – Atlantic spotted dolphin
• Grampus griseus – Risso’s dolphin
• Globicephala macrorhynchus – Short-finned pilot whale

Occasionally observed

• Stenella coeruleoalba – Striped dolphin
• Pseudorca crassidens – False killer whale
• Hyperoodon ampullatus – Northern bottlenose whale
• Ziphius cavirostris – Cuvier’s beaked whale
• Mesoplodon bidens – Sowerby’s beaked whale
• Mesoplodon europaeus – Gervais’ beaked whale
• Balaenoptera musculus – Blue whale
• Balaenoptera physalus – Fin whale
• Balaenoptera borealis – Sei whale

Rarely observed

• Steno bredanensis – Rough-toothed dolphin
• Orcinus orca – Killer whale
• Kogia breviceps – Pygmy sperm whale
• Megaptera novaeangliae – Humpback whale
• Balaenoptera acutorostrata – Minke whale
• Balaenoptera edeni – Bryde’s whale
• Mesoplodon densirostris – Blainville’s beaked whale
• Globicephala melas – Long-finned pilot whale
• Lagenodelphis hosei – Fraser’s dolphin

Never recorded (in Azorean waters)

• Mesoplodon mirus – True’s beaked whale
• Kogia sima – Dwarf sperm whale
• Eubalaena glacialis – Northern right whale

Every Trip is Unique

On average, our guests encounter 2 to 3 different species per trip, though record days have included up to 9 species in just 3 hours.
In 99% of our excursions, we encounter cetaceans — a testament to the richness and vitality of Azorean waters.

When planning your trip, remember that weekly statistics only offer a small glimpse of the ocean’s reality.
Out here, every day is different — and every encounter is unforgettable.