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Over 24 different species of dolphins and whales can be found in the Galapagos Islands. While some species live there permanently, others only visit during their migratory seasons. The most significant site is in the canal between the islands of Isabela and Fernandina, and the best time to see them is between June and October. Seeing whales and dolphins in the Galapagos Islands is among life’s most impressive and memorable events.
How Whale and Dolphin Watching Works
While it is usually done by boat, whale and dolphin viewing can occasionally be done from shore. You can do this while cruising or watching whales on a different charter boat. A naturalist who can provide information about the species you are witnessing will frequently assist you when you observe whales and dolphins. Maintaining a safe distance from the animals is essential when whale watching. On the other hand, captains might stop the boat and let interested whales come up to you to have a closer look. There are explicit rules on “whale and dolphin watching vessel etiquette” for all vessels operating in the Galapagos.
Get a close look at whales and dolphins in the Galapagos Islands! Experience this unbelievable moment aboard Santa Cruz II Cruise!
Types of Whales
There are two kinds of whales and dolphins: toothed and baleen. Sperm whales, dolphins, porpoises, and orcas are all members of the toothed whale family. They sometimes consume fish, but that’s only sometimes the case. The second primary family of whales comprises baleen whales like humpbacks and blues. Despite lacking teeth, baleen whales utilize a tiny comb in their mouths to remove small fish and plankton from the water. Large gulps of water are let into their lips, where they filter the food and force it out through their baleen, or “teeth,” which function as a colander to keep the food in their mouths.
When to See Whales and Dolphins
While some resident species can be spotted anytime, June through October is the best season for whale and dolphin watching. When going on a whale and dolphin watching excursion, it might take a lot of work to predict precisely when the animals will appear. Although knowledgeable guides can visit the whales’ most frequented areas, they cannot determine when a whale will be present due to the vast expanse of ocean that whales call home. While some species, like dolphins, which frequently enjoy riding bow wakes, are highly likely to surface, witnessing these magnificent marine animals is never guaranteed.
Common and Popular Galapagos Whale and Dolphin Species
While many species have only sometimes visited the Galapagos Islands, other species are regularly observed there every year, either as permanent inhabitants or as regular migrants.
Orcas
Most of the world’s oceans are home to orcas, also known as killer whales. Three population kinds are distinguished: offshore orcas, transients, and residents. People who live in a place year-round and gather in sizable, amiable groups are called residents. Due to their playfulness, curiosity, and history of interacting with boats, these are the most commonly sighted orcas on whale-watching excursions. Mammal eaters are migratory whales. They spend less time engaging with humans and roam in more miniature hunting packs. Offshore whale groups cruise the world in big packs and are usually observed in the open ocean. Very little is known about this group of whales.
Blue Whales
Blue whales are the largest whale species and the world’s largest animal, making them unique to witness. The length of three football fields, these baleen whales usually lead solitary lives in vast, open ocean environments. One of the few locations close to land where they can be spotted occasionally is the Galapagos Islands.
Humpback Whales
Known for their playful nature, baleen whales are among the larger whale species that frequently breach or jump out of the water. They are unique among baleen whales because they consume small feeder fish and plankton. They enclose fish in a small circle with their bubble net, which they use to feed.
The whale will swim beneath the fish column and rise toward the surface, its jaws wide open, after it has trapped them. Humpbacks can only be seen in the Galapagos during the cooler months of June through October. Most of the cows are visible with their calves. While in the Galapagos, these females typically do not go on the prowl, instead depending on their fat stores to sustain their young.
Bottlenose Dolphins
Among the most prevalent marine animals in the Galapagos Islands are these dolphins. They are regularly spotted following yachts, cruise ships, and other boats. When whale and dolphin watching, bottlenose dolphins are particularly entertaining because they travel in big groups.
Sperm Whale
Sperm whales, the iconic animal from Moby Dick, belong to a small family consisting of only three species and are the most giant-toothed whales. They are fish eaters and lone whales. Occasionally, multiple individuals in a pod join together in the Galapagos.
Minke Whale
This is the world’s most populous baleen whale species and one of the smaller ones. It is a global organism that consumes plankton. Usually weighing 8 to 10 tons, these whales have pointed snout and white spots beneath their pectoral fins.
Bryde Whale
This might be the most often observed giant whale in the Galapagos. These massive mammals, called tropical whales, are limited to warmer waters.
Common Dolphin
Despite their name, common dolphins are less frequent visitors to the Galapagos Islands than bottlenose dolphins. They can be distinguished from bottlenose dolphins by having a dark stripe that runs from flipper to chin and a single color along their sides as opposed to the latter’s two tones, with a paler belly than back.
