{"id":75589,"date":"2023-07-07T07:21:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T05:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/visitanddo_1790.test\/?p=75589"},"modified":"2026-10-01T00:02:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T22:02:44","slug":"whale-watching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/whale-watching\/","title":{"rendered":"Whale-watching in the Strait"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the few places in Europe where sightings of cetaceans are common<\/strong>, and not by chance: the 14-kilometre stretch of sea marks the passage between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

Which species are here, when to see each one and how a trip works.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\ud83d\udc0b The species, and which ones live here all year round<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Whale<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The key distinction is between resident and visiting species<\/strong>, because it determines what you might see on your chosen date:<\/p>\n\n\n
Species<\/th>Presence<\/th>When<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n
Common, striped and bottlenose dolphins<\/strong><\/td>Resident species<\/strong><\/td>All year round<\/td><\/tr>\n
Long-finned pilot whale<\/strong><\/td>Resident<\/strong><\/td>All year round<\/td><\/tr>\n
Fin whale<\/strong><\/td>Passing through<\/td>Spring and summer<\/td><\/tr>\n
Sperm whale<\/strong><\/td>Passing through<\/td>Spring and summer<\/td><\/tr>\n
Orca<\/strong><\/td>Seasonal<\/strong><\/td>July and August<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Dolphins and pilot whales are here all year<\/strong>, so a trip in January also makes sense, weather permitting.<\/p>\n

The great ones are in a league of their own.<\/strong> The fin whale is the planet\u2019s second-largest animal<\/strong>, and the sperm whale, the largest of the toothed cetaceans<\/strong>. They\u2019re just passing through; they don\u2019t live here.<\/p>\n\n

\ud83c\udfa3 Orcas are seasonal because they follow the tuna<\/h3>\n

They appear in July and August<\/strong>, and there is a specific reason for this: they follow the bluefin tuna migration<\/strong> across the Strait.<\/p>\n

That makes them the most predictable species on the calendar<\/strong> and, at the same time, the most limited: outside those months, they are not there.<\/p>\n\n

\ud83c\udf0a Why are there so many here\ud83c\udf0a<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Dolphins<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are three factors at play:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. The narrowness.<\/strong> At its narrowest point, the Strait measures about 14 kilometres<\/strong>, so all the traffic between the two seas is concentrated in a very small area.<\/li>\n
  2. The mixing of waters.<\/strong> The Atlantic currents, which are colder and shallower, meet the Mediterranean currents, which are warmer and deeper. This exchange generates currents and nutrient upwelling<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  3. The result: loads of fish.<\/strong> And where there are fish, there are cetaceans.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It is both an essential migration corridor and a feeding ground<\/strong>, which explains why such a small stretch has such a high density.<\/p>\n\n

    \u26f5 What is an outing like\u26f5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Whale-watching<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Between two and three hours<\/strong>, including the time taken to sail to the areas where the animals are usually found and the duration of the observation. The sightseeing cruise itself lasts around 90 minutes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    There is a guide on board<\/strong>, which provides information on the species and alerts you when there is activity.<\/p>\n\n

    \ud83e\udde5 What to pack<\/h3>\n