Wildlife
Ria Formosa Natural park and the Atlantic ocean
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the Natural park
Ria Formosa
Ria Formosa is a lagoon system with Natural Park status located in the Eastern Algarve, Portugal. With over 60km of extension and an area of 18 thousand acres, it is a very important nursery area for many animals. The waters inside are sheltered from the Atlantic by 2 peninsulas and 5 barrier islands creating a unique salt marshland environment. You can also find dozens of km of deserted beaches in the islands, as well as little villages in Culatra and Armona! Ria Formosa is part of Natura 2000 Network and RAMSAR convention for species protection.
local wildlife
The birdwatching paradise
Every year over 220 species of birds come across Ria Formosa Natural park. The natural formation of the marshlands, the food availability and the constant water renovation with the Atlantic, provide a unique environment for many birds to feed, rest and / or reproduce. An oasis like this, located right before the Atlantic ocean and Africa provides a strategical stop for many migratory birds. But not only birds live here: the lagoon is rich in marine animals such as fish (including sea horses!), crustaceans and a lot of molluscs. Apart from those, Ria Formosa is also home to the iconic color-changing reptile: the chameleon! Join us and get to know more about this fantastic wildlife paradise!
Birds of Ria Formosa
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodia
Flamingos
Phoenicopterus roseus
Black winged stilt
Himantopus himantopus
White Stork
Ciconia ciconia
Oyster Catcher
Haematopu ostralegus
Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
portuguese Marine wildlife
Algarve
marine Mammals, birds, fish and reptiles
dolphins in Portugal - Algarve
About Dolphins in Portugal
Dolphins belong to cetacea infraorder, which includes also whales and porpoises. Cetaceans are widely distributed throughout the world, being present in any ocean. Species like the Common dolphins or bottlenose dolphins, are very common worldwide. The whole portuguese coastline is home to thousands of wild dolphins from different species, however, very little is known yet about their abundance in real numbers. At any point on our coastline you may find bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and porpoises. It is not rare to find groups of hundreds (or even thousands) of common dolphins and striped dolphins around here. We are committed to collect more data and information regarding dolphins distribution in the Eastern Algarve as well as evaluating potential threats to their conservation. Take a look below to find out which species we see the most in this area!
A superpod of common dolphins near Faro. This pod was spotted in August 2019 during an afternoon trip for dolphin watching.
Dolphin species
Dolphins we can find in Faro - Algarve
Common dolphin
Delphinus delphis
All year round. Very abundant
Bottlenose dolphins
Tursiops truncatus
All year round. Very common
Both coastal and oceanic ecotypes can be found
Orcas - Killer Whale
Orcinus orca
Spring and summer, following tuna migrations
Atlantic Striped dolphins
Stenella coeruleoalba
All year round
Whales, Sharks and Turtles
Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus
Mostly from Spring to Autumn
Minke Whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
All year round; Most of our sightings are from February to May
Sei Whale
Balaenoptera borealis
Insufficient data. Our latest sighting was in mid October 2020
Hammerhead shark
Sphyrna zygaena
Mostly summer and spring
Loggerhead turtle
Caretta caretta
Can be spotted all year round but there is a peak nearshore in April and May
Marine Birds
The Atlantic ocean is home for many marine birds. In the Algarve for instance, we often spot Northern gannets feeding on the same bait ball than common dolphins. Other birds like Skuas, Shearwaters or Storm Petrels can also be found regularly. During winter months we can also spot Puffins and Razorbills on our shore.
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula artica
from November to May
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus
All year round; Bigger flocks in late autumn & winter
Great Skua
Stercorarius skua
Shearwaters
Calonectris sp.
Spring to Autumn
animal Protection information
Ria Formosa Natural Park
In Ria Formosa natural park, we have some protected species – for example the sea horses! In order to preserve the natural patrimonium, we kindly ask every visitor to respect the animals and their habitat. In some areas of the park you may find signs regarding conservation measures for some of these species such as the nesting zones of terns in Faro beach. Avoid walking over dunes, vegetation or even sea grass banks.
If you find a dead marine animal during your visit, please take pictures and let us know about your finding. If you come across a stranded marine mammal (dolphins, whales, porpoises) on the beach, please report to the local authorities (Polícia Marítima and ICNF). We strongly recommend to take pictures of strandings as well as sharing them on social media to increase awareness.
Injured animals in the park
For injured animals inside protected areas, contact SEPNA/GNR
Cetaceans Strandings (alive)
If you found a live stranded cetacean click the link below and follow instructions
Marine Animals Strandings (dead)
If you found a dead dolphin, whale or turtle report to the Algarve Stranding Network (RAALG)
