Dolphin Diary 2026

JANUARY 2026

At Four Seasons Resort Landaa Giraavaru during January, we conducted 10 dolphin cruises for a total of 104 guests, sighting 658 Spinners and 25 Bottlenose Dolphins.

At Kuda Huraa this month, we have started off the New Year in style, with sightings of Pilot Whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) ! These magnificent giants pass through on their migratory routes, usually twice each year. Last year, we saw record sightings of these outstanding Odontocetes, and this is a sign they might continue showing up out of season. Hopefully we can see them next month as well.

FEBRUARY

At Landaa Giraavaru during February, we conducted 11 cruises enjoyed by a total of 121 guests, and recorded sightings of 646 Spinners.

Sexual Dimorphism in Mysticeti

Sexual dimorphism is the differences exhibited by males and females of the same species. This phenomenon is easily recognisable in animals like deer and other cervids, where most males will be larger and have antlers, while the females are smaller and have none. Mysticetes exhibit this difference by the females being larger in size than the males. This is beneficial for the females who have to rear the calves and protect them while they grow and stay with their mother. In humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), the males will sing to attract a mate, broadcasting their songs to reach as many females as possible.

Sexual Dimorphism in Odontoceti

As opposed to the baleen whales, most odontocetes have more noticeable forms of sexual dimorphism. Some species, such as the narwhal (Monodon monoceros), the males will have a large tusk, which is their upper left canine that can be up to three metres long, while the females do not. With some species, such as the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), the males are larger, with a more pronounced dorsal fin that curves and protrudes from their bodies more than the females. They also have more globose heads, and bulkier tails – the females are not as dramatic in morphology and size.

MARCH

At Landaa, we conducted 9 Dolphin Cruises enjoyed by 37 Guests, and recorded sightings of 307+150 Spinners plus 2 Bottlenose Dolphins.

Pilot Whale Identification

Pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) have once again made an incredible impression on the waters and people of North Male Atoll! Our team at Kuda Huraa was lucky enough to see this migratory species on a dolphin cruise at the beginning of the month – a pod consisted of 4 calves and some familiar fins.

Among the identified individuals were GM001, known as Grinch, and GM002, known as Frank. These two were first recorded when our project took off in 2018. They have been seen since their first sightings, but their last sighting was in 2024. These two are often seen together, which correlates with these cetaceans being highly social creatures that stick to their families and pods. Young calves being seen on this occasion suggests they have successfully been feeding and reproducing.

Pilot whales are matriarchal, and help each other raise their offspring so as to have better chances of survival for their families. We hope to continue seeing them in the coming migratory months.

GM002 Frank: First sighted in 2018, latest sighting on 1 March 2026.
GM001 Grinch: Latest sighting 1 March 2026.

APRIL 2026

At Four Seasons Resort Landaa Giraavaru during April, we conducted 10 dolphin cruises for a total of 79 guests. It proved to be a fantastic and busy month for dolphin encounters across the atoll. Spinner dolphins once again put on an incredible display, with almost 800 individuals recorded throughout the month. Bottlenose dolphin encounters were also particularly abundant across the area (50 individuals), with several memorable occasions where guests were able to swim with them during snorkel trips. Approximately 50 Pilot whales were sighted on multiple occasions, most commonly between Kamadhoo and Vovah, adding to an exciting and diverse month of cetacean activity.

At Kuda Huraa, Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) were seen in April on the way to Nurse Shark snorkel. This elusive species is rarely seen coming so close in this area. Although identification shots were not able to be obtained, seeing their behaviors and interactions with the pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) was an incredible feat. These animals have white scars all over their bodies from various hunting and social encounters. We hope to see them again soon, and collect more data on these individuals.

Pilot Whales

April has been a pilot whale palooza! These giant dolphins are migrating through the Maldives, passing through the greater Male area on their journey north. These highly intelligent creatures have been spotted on several Dolphin Cruises and snorkeling trips. Traveling in pods averaging 25 members, there were some returning individuals and some new calves! Unfortunately, one of the returning pilots, known as GM047 Jester, presented slow moving and with a severe peduncle injury. Although definitive causation of this wound is inconclusive, a vessel strike is hypothesised given the sheer size of the dolphin and the missing piece. We are hoping for the best for Jester on their journey!

Spy hopping is a curious behavior exhibited by this species, and was recorded on several trips with multiple individuals popping their heads above the water to look at their surface surroundings. This gives them a full view of what is going on above the water. When diving down for a deep dive, they will often be vertical with their tails fully out of the water.

Mixed Social Groups (MSGs)

Cetaceans are known for their intelligence and highly complex societies – but not much is known about inter-species communication and mixed social groups (MSGs). Here in the Maldives, different odontocete species have been recorded mixing together, whether it be spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) and Indo-Pacific bottlenose (Tursiops aduncus), or pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), or a combination of them all – it is a fascinating experience.

During April, our team of biologists saw a pod of Risso’s dolphins with members of a pilot whale pod. It was evident they had just come up from a dive, given the slow speed and prolonged surface time of the pilot, and the Risso’s followed suit. They were all traveling north past Male. Later that same day, the pilots were seen with bottlenoses. They seem to get along, and different species become more social when the pilots pass through. Although we lack the ability to directly know the dynamics of these MSGs, it’s great data for future reference.

MAY

At Four Seasons Resort Landaa Giraavaru during May, we conducted 5 dolphin cruises for a total of 57 guests. For the first time in a while, the number of Bottlenose dolphins (74) surpassed Spinner dolphin (50) sightings. Spinner dolphins rarely undergo long-distance, seasonal migrations. Instead, they form distinct, island-associated populations. They show remarkable site fidelity, often remaining highly resident to Voavah and Reethi Beach. However, they have been very difficult to find this month, and contacts across Baa Atoll have said the same, something which should be monitored closely as human disturbances—such as heavy tourism pressure and environmental shifts—may be disrupting their essential daytime rest. Over time, these stressors could force pods to abandon these specific areas.

At Kuda Huraa, we confirmed a resighting of spinner dolphin SL243, known as “Noche”, who was first spotted back in November of 2021. We have only several confirmed matches for this individual, so every clear photograph is valuable. A newly identified spinner was was given the ID SL448 and named “Dal”. The notches on this individual are quite small but distinct, thus the need for high quality pictures is important for the longevity and accuracy of this project.

JUNE

At Four Seasons Resort Landaa Giraavaru during June, we conducted 10 dolphin cruises for a total of 51 guests. We recorded 260 Spinners and 22 Bottlenose. Excitingly, we also sighted 40 of the rarely seen Risso’s Dolphins (Grampus griseus), and successfully added 14 new positively identified individuals to our photo-identification database. This represents a significant contribution to our long-term dataset, as the previous Risso’s dolphin IDs were logged way back in 2024.

At Kuda Huraa, the sex of one of our identified Spinners was confirmed as female! This individual was seen jumping and spinning during a dolphin cruise, and we were able to capture great photos of her. SL398, also known as “Bark”, was first added to the ID database in October 2024. It is fairly rare to confirm the sex of these dolphins; there is minimal sexual dimorphism between males and females, and they are so fast that a clear picture is difficult to obtain. However, the more information we can gather about these charismatic dolphins gives a bit more insight into their observed behaviours. This particular day, Bark was jumping and spinning more than other dolphins. The reason for this is unclear; there were no obvious remoras or parasites on her, perhaps it was a form of communication, or even just for fun.

Although there is not much of a morphological difference between males and females of this species, if they show their bellies then we can see if there are mammary glands present. In this female, there are three slits: one middle urogenital/anal slit, and two smaller on either side – the lateral slits are her mammary glands! Dolphins being mammals means they give milk to their young, just like humans. The males lack these lateral slits and just have the urogenital and anal slits.

JULY

At Landaa this month, we conducted 10 Dolphin Cruises for 147 Guests, and recorded the following cetacean sightings: 700 Spinner Dolphins, 26 Bottlenose Dolphins, 70 Risso Dolphins.

Sightings of both Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and Risso’s dolphins increased during the reporting period, indicating greater occurrence of these species within the study area. In addition, photo-identification efforts resulted in 30 new Risso’s dolphin individuals being added to the database, representing a substantial contribution to the long-term monitoring dataset and improving our understanding of this rarely encountered species.