Dolphins off the coast of Tarifa, Spain

Dolphins off the coast of Tarifa are an impressive natural experience in October. But it’s not just dolphins that inhabit the Strait of Gibraltar. With a bit of luck, various species of whales can also be spotted there. In this blog post, I’ll share which marine animals I encountered on boat trips.

Tarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar: Diversity in the heavily used marine area

One of the main reasons I chose to spend my holiday in the south of Spain was the idea of exploring dolphins off the coast of Tarifa, birds in the surrounding area, and the Barbary macaques in Gibraltar. And indeed, it seems that Tarifa attracts exactly those kinds of people who love being outdoors and surrounded by nature. The town of Tarifa itself is small and laid-back, yet surprisingly lively – a mix that I immediately fell in love with.

This blog post, however, will focus (almost) exclusively on the dolphins off the coast of Tarifa. Because yes, whales also pass by here – but I have to be honest right away: In October, I had no luck spotting whales at all. That doesn’t mean, of course, that there are no whales in the area at this time of year, just that I unfortunately wasn’t able to see any.

Tarifa is located on the Strait of Gibraltar. The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. I’ve already written more about this special waterway in a previous blog post. It’s about 60 kilometers long and at its narrowest point, it’s only 14 kilometers wide – and this narrowest point is right off the coast of Tarifa. Tarifa is also the southernmost town on the European mainland. From here, it’s only about 14 kilometers to Mount Jbel Musa in Morocco on the African continent. So, Africa is almost within reach.

Because the Strait of Gibraltar is the only natural connection between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, there is heavy shipping traffic here. Apparently, around 300 ships pass through this strait every day – statistically speaking, that’s one ship every five minutes! Even during my dolphin trips, this was hard to overlook.

Of course, the question arises: Why do whales and dolphins stay here? Why don’t they choose a quieter place?

The answer lies in the water itself. The water level of the Atlantic is higher than that of the Mediterranean, which causes water to constantly flow into the Mediterranean. At the same time, more water evaporates there than is replenished by rivers and rainfall. As a result, the Mediterranean water becomes saltier, heavier, and sinks to the depths. This so-called deep water then flows along the seabed back toward the Atlantic.

In the Strait of Gibraltar, this deep water meets an uneven seabed with rises and dips. This leads to strong turbulence, which brings nutrient-rich water from the depths to the surface. Combined with the abundant light, this creates ideal conditions for phytoplankton – the base of the marine food chain. And where there’s plenty of food, dolphins and whales are never far away.

So, even where many ships pass through.

This is exactly why so many marine mammals stay in the Strait of Gibraltar – even despite the heavy shipping traffic. Of course, this is just a very simplified explanation, but it illustrates quite well why Tarifa is such an attractive place for dolphins (and also for whales).

And for me, it was definitely a very special place to be close to them again. Even though I was also really concerned about the shipping traffic at the same time…

My concerns are not unfounded. According to the Foundation for Information and Research on Marine Mammals (firmm), a total of 502 unusual sightings of 494 marine mammals were documented during observation trips between 2001 and 2015. But what exactly was observed?

The unusual sightings included, among other things, emaciation, deformities, and various injuries. The latter were by far the most common. While natural injuries were also observed, the majority of documented injuries were caused by humans. These can mostly be attributed to the intense shipping traffic, but also to fishing activities.

Unfortunately, this was not just a statistic for me. During one of my trips off the coast of Tarifa, I too was able to observe a dolphin (pilot whale) that showed clear signs of injury.

The firmm website covers this topic in even more detail. Another issue that whales and dolphins off the coast of Tarifa are exposed to is industrial chemicals, which are thought to be linked to a weakening of their immune systems.

I learned firsthand on one of my earlier trips that dolphins living close to the shore are especially affected by human influence. A marine biologist there told me that humpback dolphins experience miscarriages, which are most likely caused by high levels of pollutants. The humpback dolphins off the coast of South Africa (photo left) are declining in number, though a decrease in individuals is usually not attributable to just one cause.

In Brazil, on the other hand, I encountered even emaciated dolphins (photo right) living in waters heavily influenced by industrial activity, which likely made them more vulnerable to diseases.

As easy as it was for me to observe dolphins off the coast of Tarifa in the Strait of Gibraltar, I also want to share my concern: For marine animals, life near humans is far from easy.

In the following sections, I will introduce the whale and dolphin species that can be observed off the coast of Tarifa.

Dolphins off the coast of Tarifa: Encounters all year round

Bottlenose dolphins. Pilot whales. And even orcas. Yes, all these species of dolphins can be observed in the Strait of Gibraltar. The emphasis here is on can, because dolphin sightings are always a matter of luck. Additionally, there are species that are very unlikely to be encountered during certain seasons – orcas being one of them. Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky enough to see orcas (Orcinus orca), the largest members of the dolphin family (Delphinidae). However, this wasn’t due to bad luck, but rather because of the time of year: Orcas off the coast of Tarifa are mostly seen between July and September. I was there in October. While an encounter wasn’t entirely impossible, the chances were slim.

Instead, I saw a few fishing boats.

But what do fishing boats have to do with orcas? Quite a lot, actually. In the Strait of Gibraltar, orcas steal tuna directly from the hooks of Spanish and Moroccan longline fishermen. Because of this behavior, orcas are primarily observed off the coast of Tarifa in the midsummer months, as the tuna swim back into the Atlantic after spawning in the Mediterranean.

What I find especially fascinating is that the orcas specifically leave the head of the tuna behind – right where the hook is. The question is: Can orcas detect the hook using their echolocation system?

Unfortunately, I can’t answer that. However, it is known that orcas, like the Matriach, don’t appear every year. Could this be related to food competition? Fishermen, at least, aren’t fond of orcas when they steal the tuna off their lines. According to reports, some fishermen even use electric shocks to drive the orcas away.

Before I went on my first tour with firmm, I looked into the question of whether orcas there also ‘play’ with boats. Numerous articles had already been published about the orcas living in the region, mentioning incidents of attacks. However, these are believed to be playful behaviour.

Before my first trip, I attended an informational talk by firmm, where this topic was, of course, also addressed. We were told that the orcas observed by firmm are fish-eaters and, therefore, do not ‘attack’ boats (the photo shows a pilot whale, not an orca).

Since I unfortunately couldn’t see an orca, I’m writing here about the other dolphins I was actually able to observe. I wasn’t entirely without luck, after all.

The dolphin species in the Strait of Gibraltar include common dolphins, striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and pilot whales. I’ve already had the chance to observe all four species (or genus, in the case of pilot whales) elsewhere (top left photo: common dolphin off the Azores, top right photo: striped dolphin on the east coast of Spain, bottom left photo: bottlenose dolphins in South Africa, bottom right photo: pilot whale off Tenerife).

My first trip with firmm took place on the very day I arrived. I wanted to make the most of every opportunity to join a tour – you never know, each trip is different. I’ve learned that from experience.

So, after checking into my accommodation, my first stop was straight to firmm, where I was able to join the next trip. Even in the morning in Málaga, I wondered whether it would work out. Fortunately, it did – after all, the tour could have been fully booked. The weather could have also ruined my plans.

Fortunately, a trip was taking place, and I got a spot. I was very excited, even though I always realize on such tours how much I enjoy being on boats with just a few people – because only then can you secure a good viewing position.

On research boats like the Tethys or those from Edmaktub, research is the main focus, and the boats are small with not many people on board. On the Azores, they also used smaller boats to bring marine mammals closer to nature enthusiasts, even though the tours on the Azores were aimed at tourists.

Nevertheless, I’d definitely recommend firmm, because they are experts on the dolphins off the coast of Tarifa, they are committed to their protection, and they aim to bring the animals closer to observers. They also educate people about the many dangers whales and dolphins face off the coast of Tarifa. This is especially valuable for raising awareness about the protection of these fascinating creatures.

On my first trip with firmm, I encountered “only” one species of dolphin – the long-finned pilot whale.

Of course, large ships were not far from them.

Although firmm doesn’t offer trips year-round, pilot whales can theoretically be observed at any time in the Strait of Gibraltar, as they live there year-round.

When I talk about pilot whales here, I actually mean the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas). In addition to the long-finned pilot whale there is the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus). While long-finned pilot whales occur in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere, as well as in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, short-finned pilot whales prefer tropical and subtropical seas. Since long-finned pilot whales favor cooler waters and short-finned pilot whales prefer warmer waters, their ranges overlap very little. In the Mediterranean, however, only the long-finned pilot whale is found.

There are only two species of pilot whales – also called Globicephala – namely the ones mentioned earlier. For me, this means that I have already encountered both species: long-finned pilot whales off Tarifa and short-finned pilot whales off Tenerife.

A very typical behavior of pilot whales is drifting almost motionless in the water. This behavior is particularly memorable to me from the pilot whales off Tenerife. However, I was not able to observe it even once off Tarifa.

Even though I couldn’t observe this typical behavior in the pilot whales off Tarifa, they still swam relatively slowly – another characteristic feature of these animals.

Pilot whales are also characterized by their almost cylindrical body and their rounded head. In addition, they have a very short beak, which is topped by their so-called melon.

According to firmm, the coexistence of pilot whales and orcas is not harmonious and is associated with stress. During the summer months, when orcas pass through the Strait of Gibraltar, pilot whales move into the Mediterranean – presumably to protect their calves. Accordingly, firmm observes pilot whales less frequently during this time. On one firmm trip, it was even observed how a group of pilot whales drove orcas out of their hunting area. Such behavior is reportedly not unusual for pilot whales.

Speaking of groups: pilot whales are very social animals and also form larger pods outside of these situations – usually with fewer than 50 individuals.

However, according to firmm, the group sizes of pilot whales in the Strait of Gibraltar have steadily decreased over the years. When orcas are present, larger groups can be observed again.

These are fascinating insights into the lives of pilot whales – and yet many questions remain unanswered. What further changes will occur? Since 2007, ten ports have been built in the area inhabited by these pilot whales and other dolphins off Tarifa. What impact does this have on their distribution and behavior? What additional conservation measures will be agreed upon and actually implemented? And how does the ongoing warming of the Mediterranean affect these animals? Questions upon questions, showing how important continued research and observation of these creatures is.

As much as I was thrilled about the encounter with the pilot whales, I was equally concerned. These beautiful animals rely on an intact habitat. Due to food availability, they are unlikely – or unable – to move elsewhere. So what can be done?

Before the trip, we were thoroughly informed about the numerous dangers that dolphins off Tarifa face. I think it’s very important that on such tours, you not only get to admire the animals but also take in this information – even if it’s not easy to hear.

On the day of my first encounter with the dolphins off Tarifa, I left thoughtful, yet at the same time full of admiration for these fascinating creatures.

On my second trip with firmm, I first encountered the pilot whales again. Unlike the first day, the sun was shining this time; the day before, it had even drizzled slightly toward the end of the trip.

I’ve been to places where one whale-watching company is lined up after another, with many boats on the water. In Tarifa, however, it seemed different to me – at least that was my impression. Besides firmm, I only saw one other company at the harbor offering whale and dolphin tours. Perhaps that’s why the number of boats was limited? Of course, this excludes the large container ships.

Nevertheless, on this beautiful day, we were not the only ones at sea, and once again I was able to experience wonderful moments with the pilot whales.

The water sparkled.

For a short time, the pilot whales even swam alongside the boat or dove underneath it, from one side to the other. When they were so close, I could see their smooth, gray skin and their blowhole very clearly.

They were truly magnificent animals.

On that day, I was unfortunately able to spot a pilot whale that had apparently already collided with a ship. Or was this injury the result of fishing gear?

What impact does such an injury have on a pilot whale’s life? Can it still hunt successfully and keep up with its group? And how does such an injury affect its long-term chances of survival?

Eventually, we let the pilot whales swim away, because another species of dolphin appeared further off.

Which one could it have been?

They were common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). They were easy to recognize by the two large patches on their sides: the front patch is pale yellowish, the rear one light gray. Together, they form a shape that resembles an hourglass – this hourglass-like pattern is very characteristic of the species.

Unlike pilot whales, common dolphins move much faster and are therefore more difficult to photograph.

The position of the boat was also challenging, as I initially had to take photos against the sun.

The common dolphins off Tarifa were very fast, but also extremely playful. At one point, a dolphin leapt out of the water and landed with a powerful splash.

It was beautiful to watch.

Some dolphins swam – just as the pilot whales had – alongside the boat or underneath it, from one side to the other.

I tried to photograph the common dolphins off the coast of Tarifa. But it was so difficult. Against the light. Too far away. And above all, the animals were so fast.

Most of the time, only their backs were visible.

Since the animals were so playful, they sometimes slapped the water’s surface with their tail flukes. Some stretched their heads far out of the water, while others swam close together.

I did my best to capture my observations as well as possible in photographs.

And suddenly, another species of dolphin appeared: they were bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

What an exciting second trip – as I mentioned, no tour is ever the same.

Since quite a few nature enthusiasts were on this trip, it was difficult to secure a good viewing position. That’s why I was initially only able to observe these dolphins off the coast of Tarifa from the other side, having to look over the heads of others.

I practiced patience and still tried to observe and photograph the dolphins without losing my balance – I definitely didn’t want to fall.

Eventually, I managed a shot in which the dolphin was reasonably sharp, although the arm of another person had blurred into the frame. What a shame.

Eventually, bottlenose dolphins appeared on the other side – although there I had to photograph against the sun.

At first, I only saw one dolphin, then a smaller one appeared beside it.

And then even more: on my side, there were at least five bottlenose dolphins.

On the other side, there were also at least four bottlenose dolphins.

Bottlenose dolphins usually live in groups of up to 15 animals, but much larger aggregations of up to 1,000 individuals can also occur. Solitary dolphins are also possible.

I’ve seen bottlenose dolphins quite often by now, but I’ve never encountered a group of 1,000.

By the way, bottlenose dolphins spend a lot of time at the surface, which makes them especially popular with dolphin watchers.

Eventually, I managed to secure a small gap on the other side, from which I could catch a glimpse of the dolphins. They were swimming straight toward us.

And suddenly, at least four bottlenose dolphins were swimming alongside the boat.

According to firmm, the group size of bottlenose dolphins is also decreasing. The reason for this is still unclear. Could it be due to changes in group dynamics, or is it related to improved protection of orcas? After all, pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins do not coexist harmoniously with orcas. Another possible reason could be the morbillivirus epidemic.

Nevertheless, the bottlenose dolphins swam relatively slowly compared to the common dolphins.

Since bottlenose dolphins in the Strait of Gibraltar are well studied, some of them even have names. The dolphins can be distinguished by their dorsal fins, and I was able to notice some differences as well – although I have to admit that the details only really stood out to me later at home on my computer. Everything happens much faster out on the water, after all.

Just as with the common dolphins, I mostly managed to capture the dorsal fins of the bottlenose dolphins.

Eventually, I even got a photo of a bottlenose dolphin’s face – and beside it, a juvenile was swimming.

As beautiful as bottlenose dolphins were, they haven’t exactly chosen an easy habitat for themselves in Tarifa. Although “chosen” might not be the right word, since they have to go where the food is. Why would they move to areas with less ship traffic and pollution if there’s nothing to eat there?

Pilot whales, common dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins – it was an incredibly successful trip in terms of dolphin diversity. Seeing so many different dolphins off the coast of Tarifa was another special experience that made me very happy. Getting even a small glimpse into the lives of these fascinating animals is something truly unique.

To top it all off, we were even surprised by pilot whales at the end.

The following day, I took a break from the dolphins off the coast of Tarifa and went on a short trip to Gibraltar to observe the Barbary macaques.

But as soon as I was back in Tarifa, I headed straight to firmm again. I hadn’t made a reservation since I wasn’t sure when I’d return—luckily, there was still a spot available.

That allowed me to join another excursion. Once again, the weather was excellent for dolphin watching, and the visibility even stretched all the way to Morocco.

On this excursion, one dolphin species in particular took centre stage: once again, the common dolphins. This time, they even swam quite slowly at times and very close to the boat.

Here are a few photographic impressions.

What I only noticed once I was back home was a striped dolphin among the common dolphins. Wow! The dolphins move so quickly that I hadn’t realized it before—overseeing a notch in the fin, yes, but an entirely different species?

According to firmm, however, it’s not unusual to see striped dolphins swimming together with common dolphins. They are still abundant in the Strait of Gibraltar and can be observed there year-round.

Nevertheless, after encountering so many common dolphins, we also came across a group of long-finned pilot whales. However, they quickly swam away, and we eventually returned to the harbour of Tarifa.

Whales off Tarifa: Which species can be seen here

Practical information

How to get there

I travelled by bus from Málaga, since it isn’t possible to fly directly to Tarifa from Germany.

In Málaga, I first took a bus from the bus station (Malaga, P.º de los Tilos, s/n, Distrito Centro, 29006 Málaga, Spain) to Algeciras (C. San Bernardo, 1, 11207 Algeciras, Cádiz, Spain). In Algeciras, I had to change buses. The journey from Málaga to Algeciras took three hours. I only had to wait about half an hour for the bus to Tarifa. The bus from Málaga to Algeciras cost €23.65. I travelled with the bus company Avanza. The ticket to Tarifa was purchased on the bus. Buses run regularly between Tarifa and Algeciras, and the journey takes about thirty minutes. I paid €2.50 for the ticket.

In Tarifa, I got off at the Centro de Salud (Tarifa Centro de Salud, C. Antonio Maura, S/N, 11380 Tarifa, Cádiz, Spain), but you can also get off at the bus station (Central Station Tarifa, 11380 Tarifa, Cádiz, Spain). Another bus company serving Tarifa is Comes, which runs, among other routes, between Tarifa and Seville.

Later after my stay in Tarifa, I travelled from Tarifa to Seville with Comes. The ticket cost €26.15 and the journey took three hours. Other cities reachable by bus from Tarifa include Cádiz, La Línea de la Concepción, and Marbella.

However, in summer there are reportedly even more bus connections. Some places are not served in October, so extra caution is advised when relying on public transport to reach smaller towns during that month.

Accommodation

I booked accommodation in Tarifa for five nights and was very satisfied. The room was quite small, and I had to cross the hallway to reach the bathroom (which I didn’t have to share), but overall I was very happy with my stay. I paid €206.25 for a single room for five nights. The accommodation was centrally located on Avenida Andalucía, allowing me to reach the harbour quickly to watch dolphins of the coast of Tarifa.

More information

Have you ever seen whales or dolphins off the coast of Tarifa or elsewhere? If so, feel free to share your experiences in the comments.