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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Europe and Mediterranean

Europe and Mediterranean

Montenegro

Bottlenose dolphins live in the Bay of Kotor and along the Adriatic coast. We share the story only for now.

Common bottlenose dolphin
Common bottlenose dolphin, found in the waters of the wider region · Photo: NOAA 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: Wildlife Conservation Tours, Captain Ivan Kotor Boat Tours; Montenegro travel advice, UK FCDO (gov.uk).

Why: Montenegro Dolphin Research has monitored bottlenose and striped dolphins along the coast since 2016, with the Bay of Kotor and the Ulcinj and Bar coast among their favourite places. Montenegro is a member of ACCOBAMS, the Mediterranean agreement for protecting whales and dolphins. A small research-linked boat in Kotor keeps at least 150 metres away, never chases, feeds or touches, and limits each encounter to 30 minutes, which is the gentle way we like to watch from the boat, never swimming with the animals.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 5 Oct 2026. The UK FCDO does not advise against travel to Montenegro (13 Aug 2026). It notes wildfires from April to October, frequent speedboats in summer, and that Montenegro is not in the Schengen area. Canada advises normal precautions (26 May 2026). Sources: UK FCDO travel advice, Montenegro · Canada travel advice, Montenegro Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

DolphinsWildlife watching

Why Montenegro

People come to Montenegro for Kotor, the bay and the beaches, and dolphins are a possible add-on. Researchers have photographed bottlenose dolphins in the Bay of Kotor and near Ulcinj in the south. Cruise ships share the bay, and some illegal fishing is reported.

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

W. SaharaKazakhstanUzbekistanRussiaNorwayFranceMauritaniaIsraelLebanonPalestineTunisiaAlgeriaJordanKuwaitIraqOmanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomAzerbaijanGeorgiaSloveniaSlovakiaCzechiaSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoBay of Kotor, MontenegroUlcinj coast, Montenegro

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 Montenegro

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

Bay of Kotor

Story only

A deep bay where researchers have photographed bottlenose dolphins, with heavy cruise traffic.

Also seen: Bottlenose dolphins (from a boat, at a distance)

Ulcinj coast

Story only

The southern coast, where researchers report a higher density of dolphins.

Also seen: Bottlenose dolphins (from a boat, at a distance)

Animals

Animals recorded in Montenegro

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 ConcernStriped dolphin leaping, dark flank stripe clearly visibleStriped dolphinStenella coeruleoalbaSeen in 43 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 ConcernScarred Risso's dolphin spyhopping out of the waterRisso's dolphinGrampus griseusSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFin whale surfacing, showing its white right lower jawFin whaleBalaenoptera physalusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasVulnerableMediterranean monk seal head above blue water, whiskers visibleMediterranean monk sealMonachus monachusSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableCommon octopus crawling over a rocky seabed in FranceCommon octopusOctopus vulgarisSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDusky grouper underwater at Cabo de Palos, SpainDusky grouperEpinephelus marginatusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhite-tailed eagle in flight low over calm water with a fish in its talons, near Raftsund, Lofoten, NorwayWhite-tailed eagleHaliaeetus albicillaSeen in 38 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 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 ConcernTwo pygmy cormorants perched on a bare branchPygmy cormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeusSeen in 26 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
AlbaniaAlgeriaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCyprusDenmarkEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLebanonLibyaLithuaniaMaltaMonacoMoroccoNetherlandsNorwayPalestinePolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSyriaTunisiaTürkiyeUkraineUnited Kingdom

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