Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in Tenerife

Stenella frontalis

Spotted Dolphin Sightings

The Atlantic Spotted dolphin is the third most commonly observed species on our Tenerife whale watching tours. They are typically in large pods of 50 dolphins with a mix of adults, juveniles and babies. These are oceanic pods and unlike their name, often lacking in spots. The Spotted dolphin is a very active species, often bow riding and making spectacular jumps as they seem to enjoy approaching our boat.

Our custom built whale watching boat and sightings network gives us the best chance to find pods of Atlantic Spotted dolphins as they are usually transiting rapidly or hunting 2 to 3 miles offshore. The hunts may be in mixed groups with oceanic Bottlenose dolphins, Common dolphins and sometimes Bryde’s whales in the area. Sea birds like the Cory Shearwater and Yellow Footed Gull are also found hunting with the Spotted dolphins.

Spotted Dolphin Info

The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis) can only be found in the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean. They are a smaller cetacean species reaching approximately 2.3 meters in length and 140 kilograms. They have a robust body and a relatively short beak, sometimes they even have white lips. The dorsal fin is tall and falcate.

The Spotted Dolphins are often seen in pods of up to 50 or more individuals and within the pod there can be nursery groups of females with young calves. They tend to be very active with long shallow jumps and often bowriding the boat. They have complex social structures with unique and interesting chatter. We can listen in to the variety of approximately 10 different sounds; whistles, buzzes, squeaks and barks on our marine hydrophone.