Wildlife

Ria Formosa Natural park and the Atlantic ocean

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the Natural park

Ria Formosa

Ria Formosa is a lagoon system with Natural Park status located in the  Eastern Algarve, Portugal. With over 60km of extension and an area of 18 thousand acres, it is a very important nursery area for many animals. The waters inside are sheltered from the Atlantic by 2 peninsulas and 5 barrier islands creating a unique salt marshland environment. You can also find dozens of km of deserted beaches in the islands, as well as little villages in Culatra and Armona! Ria Formosa is part of Natura 2000 Network and RAMSAR convention for species protection.

local wildlife

The birdwatching paradise

Every year over 220 species of birds come across Ria Formosa Natural park. The natural formation of the marshlands, the food availability and the constant water renovation with the Atlantic, provide a unique environment for many birds to feed, rest and / or reproduce. An oasis like this, located right before the Atlantic ocean and Africa provides a strategical stop for many migratory birds. But not only birds live here: the lagoon is rich in marine animals such as fish (including sea horses!), crustaceans and a lot of molluscs. Apart from those, Ria Formosa is also home to the iconic color-changing reptile: the chameleon! Join us and get to know more about this fantastic wildlife paradise!

Birds of Ria Formosa

osprey in Ria Formosa spotted while cruising by boat during a birdwatching tour in the algarve

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

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Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

spoonbill seen during a birdwatching tour in Ria Formosa faro

Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Flamingos during a Birdwatching boat tour in ria formosa

Flamingos

Phoenicopterus roseus

redshank flying over the boat during a birdwatching tour in faro

Black winged stilt

Himantopus himantopus

stork in faro spotted during a boat trip with ocean vibes

White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

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Oyster Catcher

Haematopu ostralegus

Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

portuguese Marine wildlife

Algarve

marine Mammals, birds, fish and reptiles

dolphins in Portugal - Algarve

About Dolphins in Portugal

Dolphins belong to cetacea infraorder, which includes also whales and porpoises. Cetaceans are widely distributed throughout the world, being present in any ocean. Species like the Common dolphins or bottlenose dolphins, are very common worldwide. The whole portuguese coastline is home to thousands of wild dolphins from different species, however, very little is known yet about their abundance in real numbers. At any point on our coastline you may find bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and porpoises. It is not rare to find groups of hundreds (or even thousands) of common dolphins and striped dolphins around here. We are committed to collect more data and information regarding dolphins distribution in the Eastern Algarve as well as evaluating potential threats to their conservation. Take a look below to find out which species we see the most in this area!

Dolphin Tours in Faro

A superpod of common dolphins near Faro. This pod was spotted in August 2019 during an afternoon trip for dolphin watching.

Dolphin species

Dolphins we can find in Faro - Algarve

Golfinhos Faro Ocean Vibes

Common dolphin

Delphinus delphis

All year round. Very abundant

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Bottlenose dolphins

Tursiops truncatus

All year round. Very common
Both coastal and oceanic ecotypes can be found

Orcas during a dolphin watching in the algarve by ocean vibes

Orcas - Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

Spring and summer, following tuna migrations

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Atlantic Striped dolphins

Stenella coeruleoalba

All year round

Whales, Sharks and Turtles

Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

Mostly from Spring to Autumn

minke whale during a dolphin and whale watching tour in the algarve

Minke Whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

All year round; Most of our sightings are from February to May

sei whale during a dolphin watching trip in faro

Sei Whale

Balaenoptera borealis

Insufficient data. Our latest sighting was in mid October 2020

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Hammerhead shark

Sphyrna zygaena

Mostly summer and spring

Loggerhead turtle

Caretta caretta

Can be spotted all year round but there is a peak nearshore in April and May

Marine Birds

The Atlantic ocean is home for many marine birds. In the Algarve for instance, we often spot Northern gannets feeding on the same bait ball than common dolphins. Other birds like Skuas, Shearwaters or Storm Petrels can also be found regularly. During winter months we can also spot Puffins and Razorbills on our shore.

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Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula artica

from November to May

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Northern Gannet

Morus bassanus

All year round; Bigger flocks in late autumn & winter

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Great Skua

Stercorarius skua

Shearwaters

Calonectris sp.

Spring to Autumn

animal Protection information

Ria Formosa Natural Park

In Ria Formosa natural park, we have some protected species – for example the sea horses! In order to preserve the natural patrimonium, we kindly ask every visitor to respect the animals and their habitat. In  some areas of the park you may find signs regarding conservation measures for some of these species such as the nesting zones of terns in Faro beach.  Avoid walking over dunes, vegetation or even sea grass banks.
If you find a dead marine animal during your visit, please take pictures and let us know about your finding. If you come across a stranded marine mammal (dolphins, whales, porpoises) on the beach, please report to the local authorities (Polícia Marítima and ICNF). We strongly recommend to take pictures of strandings as well as sharing them on social media to increase awareness.

Injured animals in the park

For injured animals inside protected areas, contact SEPNA/GNR

Cetaceans Strandings (alive)

If you found a live stranded cetacean click the link below and follow instructions

Marine Animals Strandings (dead)

If you found a dead dolphin, whale or turtle report to the Algarve Stranding Network (RAALG)

Ocean Vibes Algarve

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