In Tenerife the Rough-toothed dolphin is a rarely seen visitor.

Rough Toothed Dolphins in Tenerife

Steno bredanensis

Rough Toothed Dolphin Sightings

Rough-toothed dolphins are a rarely observed species in Tenerife as they are typically found in deep oceanic waters. We most often encounter Rough toothed dolphins as we explore further offshore on days the marine conditions permit. We typically see small pods of this species, usually 6 – 10 dolphins and often in the company of other dolphin species.

The Rough Toothed dolphins are one of the more social species of dolphins and that often extends to their habit of closely approaching our tour boat. While we observe the whale watching regulations, the dolphins don’t know the rules and often pass very close to the boat allowing for wonderful viewing and photography opportunities. The Rough Toothed dolphin is one species we are endeavouring to learn more about here in Tenerife.

Rough Toothed Dolphin Info

The Rough Toothed dolphin is scientifically described as Steno bredanensis which is the only species of Steno with no subspecies described. They are a relatively large dolphin that prefers warm and deep ocean, physically reaching up to 2.8 meters long and up to 150kg. Unique to the Rough-toothed dolphin is their sloping forehead, slender beak and ridged teeth. Older individuals often have white or pink patches along their jaws and bellies.

Rough-toothed dolphins are found in tropical and temperate seas throughout most of the world, but they are not a well researched species. They typically are found offshore in seas of at least 1,000 meters deep. They are one species that is often observed hunting and socialising with other cetacean species, particularly other dolphin species, although they have been observed with Pilot whales, False Killer whales and Humpback whales.