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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Europe and Mediterranean

Europe and Mediterranean

Gibraltar

A small rock where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, with wild dolphins in the bay and Iberian orcas in the Strait nearby. Shared as a story only for now.

A rocky hillside rising beside a sandy beach and the sea
Bay of Gibraltar and the Strait · Photo: Petr Slováček on Unsplash
Exploring

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 30 Sep 2026. Sources: Cetacean Protocol Reminder, Government of Gibraltar, 31 May 2026; Gibraltar entry requirements, GOV.UK; Diving in Gibraltar, Visit Gibraltar.

DolphinsWildlife watching

Why Gibraltar

Gibraltar sits at the narrow gate between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, where two layers of sea flow in opposite directions. Common, striped and bottlenose dolphins live in the bay, and the small, endangered group of Iberian orcas hunts bluefin tuna in the wider Strait. Swimming with dolphins or orcas is not allowed here or in nearby Spanish waters, and licensed boats must keep set distances. The water is cool, the shipping is heavy and we have no safe dive plan yet, so this is a place to learn from, not a trip.

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

W. SaharaSudanChadRussiaFranceMaliMauritaniaNigerTunisiaAlgeriaBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandItalyUnited KingdomSloveniaSlovakiaCzechiaMoroccoEgyptLibyaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoBay of Gibraltar and the Strait, Gibraltar

When to go

May-Oct. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

Swimming or diving with dolphins and orcas is not allowed, and Gibraltar law keeps boats 60 m away from them with no bathing in that zone. So we would only watch from a licensed boat, keep our distance and never promise a sighting. The Iberian orca group is very small, so we teach about it and do not chase it. Diving stays on hold until we know the emergency plan.

Checked 30 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in Gibraltar

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Bay of Gibraltar and the Strait

Exploring

Busy waters where dolphins live all year and licensed boats watch them from a distance.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Common, striped and bottlenose dolphins (licensed boats only, from a distance), Iberian orcas (rare, mostly in the wider Strait, never promised)

When: May-Oct. Dolphins are in the bay all year. Sea is about 15 to 17 C in winter and about 19 to 24 C from summer to early autumn. Spanish authorities ask for extra care with orcas from April to October. Levanter wind and swell can stop small boats.

Animals

Animals recorded in Gibraltar

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

Pod of common dolphins surfacing in calm blue seaCommon dolphinDelphinus delphisSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernStriped dolphin leaping, dark flank stripe clearly visibleStriped dolphinStenella coeruleoalbaSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOrcas surfacing close together in calm Arctic Norwegian watersOrca (killer whale)Orcinus orcaSeen in 55 countries in the AtlasData DeficientLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBump-head sunfish swimming in blue water off Nusa PenidaOcean sunfish (mola)Mola molaSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasVulnerableAtlantic bluefin tuna leaping out of choppy water, recorded in Hovedstaden, DenmarkAtlantic bluefin tunaThunnus thynnusSeen in 39 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAtlantic puffin spreading its wings on a cliff in IcelandAtlantic puffinFratercula arcticaSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGreat 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 Concern
Dreaming of Gibraltar?

Tell Rocío what you would love to see

There is no trip here yet. If enough people ask, it helps us decide where to go next.

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Also in Europe and Mediterranean
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Based in Gibraltar?

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

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