Escursioni nel Santuario dei Cetacei in Liguria | Whalewatching nel Mediterraneo | Birdwatching nel Golfo Ligure Stenella striata (Stenella coeruleoalba)

In the Mediterranean, the length of the adult of Striped dolphin is around  2 m, with a weight ranging between 80 and 120 kg.

The lines are streamlined and hydrodynamic, even if with a more rounded head and less elongated rostrum than the common dolphin. Medium sized dorsal fin, triangular with a slight sickle. Three longitudinal areas can be distinguished on the livery: the back, of a dark grey-blue colour, the lateral area, light gray and the belly area, white. A white brushstroke departs from the thoracic region backwards and upwards, in the direction of the base of the dorsal fin, interrupting the continuity of the dark coloration of the back with a more than evident characteristic during the observations.

As for other pelagic Delphinids, swimming is agile thanks above all to the remarkable acrobatic qualities of the striped dolphin.

The striped dolphin feeds on a large variety of prey, depending on the season and availability, for this reason it is defined as an opportunistic animal.

Sightings of striped dolphins made by the boats of the Liguria Via Mare Consortium:

2024: 196 pods  of striped dolphins sighted in 94 outings

2023: 168 pods  of striped dolphins sighted in 82 outings

2022: 139 pods  of striped dolphins sighted in 77 outings 

2021: 92 pods  of striped dolphins sighted in 55 outings 

2020: 76 pods  of striped dolphins sighted  in 35 outings 

2019: 73 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 33 outings

2018: 89 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 50 outings

2017: 84 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 39 outings

2016: 105 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 53 outings

2015: 85 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 43 outings

2014: 81 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 48 outings

2013: 67 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 55 outings

2012: 65 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 47 outings

2011 (data referring to the April-June period only): 13 herds of striped dolphins sighted in 20 outings

2010: 80 pods of striped dolphins sighted in 83 outings

To view the complete list of sightings click here.

See photos of striped dolphins spotted during our outings.