Baleias de Barbas
Spring has finally arrived, and with it, our favorite tourists: the Bearded Whales! These cetaceans have this peculiar name because instead of teeth they have keratin filaments (which visually remind us of beards).
In the Azores we can see 6 different species of these large animals. The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is one of them and is also the largest animal on the planet, reaching up to 27 meters in length here in the Atlantic! The common whalesBalaenoptera physalusand the Sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) are not far behind them, also managing to reach considerable dimensions. We can also see Humpack WhalesMegaptera novaeangliae), the Bryde's Whales (Balaenoptera brydei) and the Dwarf WhalesBalaenoptera acutorostrata).
The Azores, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, are a very important crossing point for these whales since, after winter, they begin their migration to the North, where the amount of food is greater. This facilitates our encounter with these animals, which makes our Whale Watching much more exciting.
