Bottlenose dolphin

Photo: Frank Krasovec · CC BY-NC

Resident bottlenose dolphins use Caleta de la Ballena's sheltered bay for resting and socialisation between November and March, the same period when northeast trade winds calm the open Atlantic surface. The local pod of 12 to 18 individuals has been studied for over a decade by cetacean researchers operating from Corralejo, and several animals have known life histories spanning multiple generations. Interaction approaches in the water are best at neutral buoyancy at mid-water depth — dolphins inspect but do not engage divers hovering passively, while those finning actively toward them trigger avoidance.