Dolphins in Mallorca's coastal waters

They largely appear in small groups off the coast of Mallorca: dolphins, the grey marine mammals and darlings of all children. A boat trip to see the dolphins is one of the highlights of an island holiday for anyone.

Dolphins off Mallorca's shores

The seas around the island are quiet as locals and tourists alike enjoy the glow of the setting sun. No gust of wind causes as much as a ripple on the water until suddenly a grey ridge breaks through the water surface and rears up briefly before disappearing just as quickly. At first glance, it can be hard to tell what it is for many but for locals it can only mean one thing: a dolphin is patrolling the coastal waters.

The most common dolphin species in the Mediterranean is the white-striped dolphin, which occurs in the temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere. The white belly makes for a clear contrast to its dark grey back. A very closely related species is the round-headed dolphin, which can grow up to four metres long. They lack the beak-like muzzle, which is a characteristic feature of many species of dolphin. The third dolphin species off the coast of Mallorca is the bottlenose dolphin. The crescent-shaped fin is reminiscent of a shark at first sight. Bottlenose dolphins are generally very well-known due to the American children's TV show, "Flipper", which was broadcast between 1964 and 1967 and repeated for many years after.

Boat trips: In touch with Flipper and Co.

In summer, dolphins are much harder to spot in the coastal waters of Mallorca, which is partly due to the heavy shipping traffic. If you want to get in touch with the grey marine mammals, you should take a boat trip into the offshore waters. The only catch: the boat tours start in the early morning hours around 5:30 clock however breakfast and coffee are included on board.

At Cala Ratjada, the local operators use sailing boats for offshore observation cruises. Although there is no guarantee of sighting, the organizers promote the boat trips with a 95 percent probability that you will see Flipper and his friends. on the trip. The excitement rises every minute and gasps of joy fill the boat when the first dolphins jump out of the water next to the boat and dive elegantly. The boat trips to see the dolphins take about three hours. Some operators will give you your money back if you do not manage to see a dolphin.

Dolphin shows at Marineland

Marineland is a mix of zoo and amusement park, with maritime adventures just edging it. In the main season, dolphin shows take place several times a day, during which the sweet-natured animals perform tricks. Viewers become ecstatic as bottlenose dolphins jump through hoops or rhythmically move to the sound of the music. Since animal welfare is very important in Spain, the shows have strict time limits. Nevertheless, it is highly unlikely that spectators in the front rows will escape a soaking.

It takes about half an hour from Palma to Marineland by car. The park is located in Costa d'en Blanes and is open from April to October. In addition to the dolphins, other resident animals at Marineland include penguins, sea lions and pelicans. The tropical house is home to crocodiles, iguanas and snakes while sharks, rays, surgeonfish and moray eels throng in numerous aquariums.