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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Europe and Mediterranean

Europe and Mediterranean

Algeria

A long Mediterranean coast with the Habibas Islands, the first marine protected area in the country, home to dolphins.

A lighthouse on a rocky headland above the calm Mediterranean sea
Jijel coast, Grand Phare · Photo: Meriane Nassim on Unsplash
Story only

Story only, for now. We love learning about this place and its ocean, so we share its story here and do not sell trips yet. Checked by Ocean Calling on 6 Oct 2026. Sources: Habibas Islands, Wikipedia (protection status, wildlife); Algeria travel advice, UK FCDO (gov.uk); Report on conservation status of cetaceans, Western Mediterranean, ACCOBAMS SC16.

Why: The Habibas Islands, off the coast near Oran, have been a protected marine nature reserve since 2003 and a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance since 2005. Seabirds such as Audouin's gulls, Scopoli's shearwaters and Eleonora's falcons nest there, and Algeria is a member of ACCOBAMS, the agreement that protects Mediterranean dolphins and whales. We share this coast as a story and a place to watch from a respectful distance, and we never swim with or touch wildlife.

TurtlesDolphins

Why Algeria

The Habibas Islands became Algeria's first marine protected area in 2003 and a Mediterranean SPAMI in 2005. Reports describe bottlenose dolphins there and loggerhead turtles and dolphins at Taza, but these come from travel and general sources.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

W. SaharaSudanChadRussiaFranceMaliMauritaniaNigerIsraelLebanonPalestineTunisiaAlgeriaJordanIraqSyriaBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandItalyUnited KingdomGeorgiaSloveniaSlovakiaCzechiaSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoHabibas Islands, AlgeriaTaza, Algeria

When to go

Timing changes a lot from place to place. See each place below.

We share this place as a story so you can learn. There is no Ocean Calling trip.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Story only

We tell the story. We do not sell a trip here.

Checked 6 Oct 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Algeria

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

Habibas Islands

Story only

Volcanic islands off Oran with a protected sea, said to have dolphins around them.

Also seen: Bottlenose dolphins (reported, from the boat)

Taza

Story only

A coastal park and future marine park in the east, described with turtles and dolphins.

Animals

Animals recorded in Algeria

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Common bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableStriped dolphin leaping, dark flank stripe clearly visibleStriped dolphinStenella coeruleoalbaSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPod of common dolphins surfacing in calm blue seaCommon dolphinDelphinus delphisSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCuvier's beaked whale surfacing, pale scarred head and small dorsal finCuvier's beaked whaleZiphius cavirostrisSeen in 42 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableFin whale surfacing, showing its white right lower jawFin whaleBalaenoptera physalusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLeatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableScarred Risso's dolphin spyhopping out of the waterRisso's dolphinGrampus griseusSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMauve stinger jellyfish in Girona, ES-CT, ES, iNaturalist research-grade observationMauve stinger jellyfishPelagia noctilucaSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedDusky grouper underwater at Cabo de Palos, SpainDusky grouperEpinephelus marginatusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSilver-cheeked toadfish resting just above sandy seabed, with its pale belly and dark-spotted backSilver-cheeked toadfishLagocephalus sceleratusSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAmerican flamingo wading in shallow water with its head lowered toward the surface, Yucatán, MexicoAmerican flamingoPhoenicopterus ruberSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a northern gannet face, with pale blue eyes and a golden headNorthern gannetMorus bassanusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernScopoli's shearwater skimming just above calm blue waterScopoli's shearwaterCalonectris diomedeaSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEuropean shag sitting on its nest of dry grass, dark green-tinged plumage and yellow gapeEuropean shagGulosus aristotelisSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a small-spotted catshark head, with dark spots, resting on the seabedSmall-spotted catshark (lesser spotted dogfish)Scyliorhinus caniculaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBrown ray resting on a sandy seabed, with a blue-centred eyespot on each wingBrown rayRaja miraletusSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRough ray resting on a sandy seabed, with pale spots and eye-like marks on its discRough rayRaja radulaSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBlackmouth catsharkGaleus melastomusSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasLeast Concern
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Europe and Mediterranean
AlbaniaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCyprusDenmarkEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLebanonLibyaLithuaniaMaltaMonacoMontenegroMoroccoNetherlandsNorwayPalestinePolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSyriaTunisiaTürkiyeUkraineUnited Kingdom

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We are always happy to hear from exceptional local operators, accommodation, conservation organisations and destination experts in Algeria. If your work fits responsible, small-group ocean travel, we would love to learn more.

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