Sperm whale sighted off Lanzarote coast

A sperm whale was spotted off the coast of Playa Quemada on Saturday morning. Brief footage of the sighting of the huge whale surfacing was published by Lancelot.

The sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales, and is famously the subject of the novel Moby Dick. In the past it was widely hunted for its valuable oil, which was used in lamps and candles.

This year seems to be particularly good one for sightings of cetaceans, with several reports of dolphins, especially in the large broad bay between Puerto del Carmen and the Punto de Papagayo.

This time of year is also the most favourable for such sightings although cetaceans are observed all year round.