Ocean Lab

“I am Connor and for the past 2 years I have been working on a documentary called “The Planet We Call Home”. I reached out to Mar Ilimitado in summer 2024 to see if they would allow me to film dolphins for episode 6: “Chaparral Homes” (the mediterranean biome). For one week I went out…

“My name is Maria, I’m a student in the Marine Biology and Global Change master and I’m doing my internship in Mar Ilimitado, where I’ll be staying for the next year. I chose Mar Ilimitado because it allows me to apply knowledge in a more practical way as well as being inserted in a professional…

“During the spring of 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to complete my master’s in marine science internship with Mar Ilimitado’s Ocean Lab in Sagres, Portugal. The focus of my internship was on developing an AI-driven platform with the hopes of revolutionizing cetacean photo identification, enhancing both the efficiency and accuracy of identifying individual whales…

“I am a master’s student in marine biology, and I had the opportunity to complete a two-month internship at Mar Ilimitado during the spring of 2024. This placement was useful in enhancing my understanding of how a dolphin-watching company that also conducts scientific research operates. Throughout my internship, I gained insight into the fundamental principles…

Hello! I’m Sarah Crawford, currently working on my masters in marine biology. During the spring of 2023 I was an intern at Mar Ilimitado working on their Orca catalogue. Orcas are a vital part of the food chain along the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Therefore, it is indispensable that Mar Ilimitado catalogues each orca…

“I am a student in marine biology and I worked two months at Mar Ilimitado as an intern. This experience was amazing and it enabled me to learn a lot.  The team taught me the different marine species found in the area and the way to recognise them. I learned how to look for marine…

Scientific Name: Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758). Common Name: Fin whale. Classification: Mysticeti (baleen whales), family Balaenopteridae. Physical notes: Is the second longest animal on the planet, after the blue whale, can measure up to 27m and weight up to 120t, they have a long elongated body, a pointed head and a prominent, ‘swept-back’ dorsal…

Scientific Name: Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812). Common Name: Risso’s dolphin. Classification: Odontoceti, family Delphinidae. Physical notes: Up to 4 m and 500 kg. Heavily scarred body with a blunt, rounded forehead and no beak. Uniform dark grey to patchy grey-and-white as they get older. Distribution and habitat use: Tropical to temperate waters in both…

Scientific Name: Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Lacépède, 1804). Common Name: Minke whale. Classification: Mysticeti (baleen whales), family Balaenopteridae. Physical notes: Up to 10m and 9.2t, they have an elongated body, a pointed head and a high, curved dorsal fin. The upper body is dark grey, with a softer, lighter pattern on the flanks, which fades to…

Scientific Name: Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758). Common Name: Harbour porpoise. Classification: Odontoceti, family Phoeconidae. Physical notes: Up to 2 m and 70 kg with robust bodies and rounded head. It is easily distinguished by its triangular fin and brownish pattern. Distribution and habitat use: Found in cold temperate to sub-polar waters of the Northern…

Scientific Name: Delphinus delphis (Linnaeus, 1758). Common Name: Common dolphin. Classification: Odontoceti, family Delphinidae. Physical notes: Up to 2.5 m and 200 kg with characteristic tan to pale yellow patches on the sides. Distribution and habitat use: Tropical to temperate waters worldwide. Primarily coastal species but can be also found in shelf, and oceanic…

Scientific Name: Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) Common Name: Common bottlenose dolphin. Classification: Odontoceti (toothed whales), family Delphinidae Physical notes: Up to 4 m and 650 kg, with robust bodies, mostly grey in coloration, and with short, stubby beak. Offshore ecotypes are usually bigger and darker in colouration compared to inshore sub-populations. Distribution and habitat use:…